The Women Behind the NFLs Biggest Stars

We know quite a lot about the players of the NFL. As professional football players their lives are often under scrutiny by the media and fans alike. We know that the high pay they receive for playing in the NFL affords them luxurious lives off the field. Today we are looking at a different aspect of their lives, their love life. These are the women behind the biggest stars in the NFL.

AJ and Katherine Webb McCarron

AJ McCarron earned a reputation as a star quarterback for the University of Alabama. He was also nominated for a Heisman Trophy. Unfortunately for AJ, he would not win that trophy. He did, however, win the heart of Miss USA finalist 2012, Katherine Webb. She was also featured in Sports Illustrated 2013 Swimsuit Issue. The pair tied the knot in 2014. Two years later, in 2016, they welcomed their first child, a son named Tripp.

Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen

Tom Brady, the quarterback for the New England Patriots, is one of the most well-known NFL players today. He is a four-time Super Bowl winner in his career. He is also married to Gisele Bundchen, a supermodel from Brazil. Bundchen originally wanted to be a professional volleyball player, but she switched to modeling in her early career. She now makes twice as much as Tom Brady and is worth around $360 million.

Julius Peppers and Claudia Sampedro

Claudia Sampedro is a Columbian model and Instagram influencer. She currently has around 2 million followers and also owns a health and fitness website. Claudia also sells fitness clothing on her website. Despite a 10-year age gap, the couple seems to be happy together. They welcomed their first child in 2015. The couple’s fame has only grown since the airing of “WAGs Miami,” a show centered around the life of Peppers and his family.

Eric Decker and Jessie James

Eric Decker is known for his position as a wide receiver for the Tennessee Titans. His wife, Jessie James, is a country music singer. She is not idle between shows, however. James also has her own YouTube channel, and the couple briefly starred in a show called “Eric and Jessie: Game On.” The show was canceled after only a single season, but E! has said that it plans to revive the show.

Ryan and Lauren Tannehill

Ryan Tannehill is a name that you might recognize if you are a fan of the Miami Dolphins. He is the quarterback for the team. We have to say, of the two, his wife, Lauren, certainly has the more impressive resume. She currently works as a model and is the face of the jewelry company Levinson Jewelry. What is impressive is that she worked as a cardiology nurse before becoming a model.

Golden Tate and Elise Pollard

Elise Pollard is a native of San Diego. She is married to Golden Tate, a wide receiver for the New York Giants. The two got engaged on the beach in San Diego. Tate tried to have a special moment with his bride to be, but their moment was cut short by a drunken man being arrested nearby. Despite this, the couple shared a laugh about the incident.

Nelson Agholor and Viviana Volpicelli 

Nelsen Agholor is the current wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles. While attending college at the University of Southern California, he met Viviana, a Real Estate development student and Instagram model. Viviana received her degree in Real Estate development in 2017. She also currently runs her own beauty website and has amassed quite a large following on Instagram.

Antonia Gates and Sasha Lee Dindayal

Antonio Gates played in the NFL for the San Diego Chargers as a tight end. Sasha, meanwhile, had her own career as a hip-hop artist and Video Vixen Model. The two dated for a few years before finally tying the knot in 2011. The couple has since started a family and have a son and a daughter.

Danny Amendola and Talor Reazin

Marriages between football players and models seem to be as common as water in the NFL. Danny Amendola of the New England Patriots is certainly no exception. He is currently dating Talor Reazin. Talor works as a model out of Oklahoma City, OK. In addition to modeling, Talor has also played roles in several B-list movies over the last decade. We have to wonder how all of these NFL players keep making long-distance relationships work.

Larry English and Nicole Williams

Larry English is a former NFL player that got his start at the University of Northern Illinois. He played a defensive end. After college, he was drafted into the NFL by the San Diego Chargers. His wife, Nicole Williams, works as an actress, model, and Instagram influencer. She also formerly starred in the show WAGS, but it was canceled after 2018. The two were married in 2017.

JJ Watt and Kealia Ohai

JJ Watt is easily one of the best defensive players in recent history. He is a man that is feared in the NFL, so it should not be a surprise that he had a long list of potential suitors. The woman that caught his eye, however, was Kealia Ohai, the sister of Megan Cushing, the wife of Brian Cushing. Cushing is a teammate of Watt’s. Ohai is a professional athlete, as well. She is the captain of the Houston Dash, a professional soccer team in Texas.

Wes and Anna Burns Welker

Wes Welker is a former member of the Denver Broncos. He retired from playing professional football, but he is still very active in the sport. He is currently employed as an assistant coach for the San Francisco 49ers. Anna Burns, his wife, is a former Hooters model. She was featured in the Hooters calendar and was named Miss Hooters International in 2005.

Christian and Samantha Ponder

Christian Ponder is best known as the quarterback for the Oakland Raiders. His wife, Samantha Ponder, has a much more extensive resume than her husband. Samantha is a sportscaster as well as a reporter and host for ESPN for football and basketball. She s originally from Phoenix, Arizona. Her biggest claim to fame is replacing Erin Andrews as the host of College Gameday on ESPN.

Kyle Boller and Caroline Prejean

Kyle Boller is yet another quarterback for the Oakland Raiders. Kyle is retired now and enjoys spending his days with his lovely wife, Caroline. Caroline won the Miss California pageant in 2009 and was the Miss USA first runner-up the same year. Unfortunately, she was stripped of her Miss California title at a later time due to a breach of contract. She has also worked as a model.

Patrick Willis and Shane Saifi

Not much is known about the better half of the former 49ers’ linebacker. What we do know is that she is a big fan of social media. We certainly can’t blame her for trying to stay out of the spotlight. Too much media attention is not only bad for a relationship, but it can also have negative impacts on other aspects of life as well. For his part, Patrick played for the 49ers for eight years before retiring.

Rodney and Holly Robinson Peete

Rodney Peete had a very long career in the NFL by most standards. He played for a total of 16 years in the league before he finally retired. His wife is none other than Holly Robinson Peete. She is best known for her roles on the ABC sitcom “Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper” and Fox’s “21 Jump Street.”

Aaron Ross and Sanya Richards

Aaron Ross and Sanya Richards are definitely a power couple. For his part, Ross has not one, but two Super Bowl rings with the New York Giants. Even more impressive is Sanya’s accomplishments. She has four, yes four, Olympic gold medals and one bronze. Since retiring from professional sports, Sanya has started her own successful salon and hair extension brand based out of Austin.

Tim and Elisabeth Hasselbeck 

Elisabeth is no slouch when it comes to getting herself out there. She may be even tougher than her football player husband, Tim. Elisabeth was a contestant on “Survivor: The Australian Outback,” back in 2001 and came in fourth overall. From there, she landed herself a spot on “The View” from 2003 to 2013 along with Whoopi Goldberg and Barbara Walters.

Aaron Rodgers and Olivia Munn 

Aaron Rodgers is currently the star quarterback for the Green Bay Packers. He has had an impressive run these last few seasons, but he is secondary to his wife, Olivia Munn. Fans of Spike TV may recognize Munn as the host of several of their more interesting shows. One of her best-known roles was on the Spike TV show “Attack of the Show!” She is still active, but we have not seen much of her in recent years.

Russell Wilson and Ciara

Russel Wilson is fortunate enough to call the beautiful Ciara his better half. Russell Wilson is currently playing in the NFL as the Seattle Seahawks quarterback. He was drafted after attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Ciara, for her part, is a singer, songwriter, record producer, fashion model, actress, and dancer. The pair were married in 2016, two years after Wilson divorced his first wife, Ashton Meem. They currently have two children and plan for more.

Hakeem Nicks and Ariel Meredith

Hakeem Nicks was first drafted by the New York Giants back in 2009 after graduating from North Carolina. He played for the giants for a few seasons before playing for the Indianapolis Colts. Nicks is currently a free agent. Ariel Meredith, his significant other, is a five-time Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue model. The couple is engaged and have one child together, a daughter named Harmony. Neither party has hinted at a wedding date.

David Nelson and Kelsi Reich

David Nelson had quite a reputation. He attended the University of Florida, and during his time there played for two BCS National Championship teams. He has played for several NFL teams, but he is currently a free agent. That just gives him more time to spend with his girlfriend, Kelsi Reich. The pair have been dating for a few years now, and Nelson has even given Reich the game-winning ball after he scored a winning touchdown.

Lindsey Duke

You are probably thinking, “Hey, wait a minute, isn’t this supposed to be able players and their partner?” Yes, but we have to give Lindsey Duke an honorable mention. She only recently split with Blake Bortles, the quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Duke is currently working as a model for the NFL and as an Instagram influencer. She has amassed an impressive following to date.

Phil Costa and Brooke Hogan

Phil Costa is an oddity in the NFL. He attended college at the University of Maryland, where he played football before getting drafted to the NFL. After playing in the NFL for several seasons for the Dallas Cowboys, Costa retired from football to focus on his education instead. We guess when you have that much money, you can do what you want. His now-wife, Brooke Hogan, is best known through her famous father, Hulk Hogan.

Tony and October Gonzalez

Tony Gonzalez should need no introduction. He was first drafted in 1997 and played for three NFL teams during his career. His wife, October Gonzalez, is not as well-known as her football player husband, but she is a vocal proponent of animal rights and an outspoken supporter of PETA. In a 2009, both Tony and October stripped down to nothing for the ad claiming, “I’d rather go naked than wear fur.”

Nnamdi Asomugha and Kerry Washington

Nnamdi has made quite a life for himself since moving to the US from Nigeria. He played football in the NFL as a cornerback for several teams over his career. He has since retired from football and is now an actor and producer. His wife, Kerry Washington, is best known for her role in the movie “Django Unchained,” and has been nominated for an Emmy. She is also environmentally conscious, having only ever driven a Toyota Prius.

Hank Baskett and Kendra Wilkinson 

Hank Baskett is perhaps better known now for his scandals than his football career. Baskett was reportedly caught exchanging sexual favors with a transgender woman for marijuana. He openly admits that he went to the house to purchase weed, but denies any sexual conduct saying he was, “frozen in shock at suddenly being groped by a stranger.” Given that weed is easy to find and relatively cheap, especially for a professional athlete, we are inclined to believe him. His wife, Kendra Wilkinson, was no, so understanding and the two filed for divorce in 2018.

AJ Feely and Heather Mitts

We can forgive you if you don’t know AJ Feely. He was a career backup quarterback and only started 18 games over his 11-year career. His wife, Heather Mitts, however, has had an impressive athletic career. She has three World Cup gold medals. She was a professional women’s soccer player in the US, and in 2004 she was named ESPN’s Hottest Female Athlete.

Eli Manning and Abby McGrew

Eli Manning, the younger of the Manning brothers, needs no introduction. His wife, however, is not a name that you are likely to recognize. Abby McGrew and Eli Manning met in college during their Runnin’ Rebels days. They dated through college and later got married. Today they have two children and Abby works as an accounting executive for a fashion company.

Matt and Laurie Schaub

According to several rumors, when the pair first met, it was at a golf tournament held at a country club. Laurie, who was a famous Atlanta Falcons cheerleader at the time, did not know who Matt Schaub was. This is understandable since he played backup for Michael Vick for three seasons before becoming a starter. Initially, Laurie thought Matt was an employee of the country club. Since, however, Matt’s fame has overshadowed her own.

Eric Johnson and Jessica Simpson

Jessica Simpson is certainly a name that you should recognize. She has sold over 30 million records to date and has seven Billboard Top 40 Hits. She has earned her reputation in the music industry, but she is also known by another name, Yoko Romo. This is a reference to Yoko Ono, who many blame for the breakup of the Beatles and the death of John Lennon. For Jessica, it is referring to when she was dating Tony Romo and was blamed for ruining his playoff drive.

Osi Umenyiora and Leila Lopez 

Osi is a former defensive end for the Atlanta Falcons. He retired only four years ago at the age of 34. He is now married to Leila Lopez of Angola. Angola is a relatively large country on the west coast of Africa. Leila won the Miss Angola UK pageant in 2010 as well as Miss Angola in the same year. The next year, in 2011, she won Miss Universe.

Matt Stafford and Kelly Hall 

These two are the perfect example of football player meets cheerleader. They met when Matt was the star quarterback for the University of Georgia. Kelly was the head cheerleader at the time. They got married after college, but thanks to the clique way that they met, the two have received quite a lot of media attention. Maybe more than they want. Kelly was put under fire when she tried to sell tickets to a football game instead of donating them. Selling tickets seems a little bit unnecessary to us considering Matt Stafford has a 5-year contract worth $135 million.

Odell Beckham Jr. and Polyxeni Ferfeli

We are not sure how long this relationship is going to last. The couple hasn’t been together long, but rumors are circulating. They were recently spotted together in Tulum, Mexico. Shortly before the couple got together, Odell was dating rapper Stephanie Acevedo. Ferfeli is relatively unknown, but she does have an Instagram following.

Rob Gronkowski and Camille Kostek

Gronkowski is known for his role as the tight end for the New England Patriots. Kostek is a former Patriots Cheerleader. The two began dating in 2015. The couple was initially pretty secretive about their relationship. Our guess is that they wanted to avoid the media attention that such a relationship was certain to draw. They did eventually make their relationship pubic in 2016 after it had time to mature.

Julian Edelman and Adriana Lima

Edelman and Lima are another pair consisting of a New England Patriot and Victoria’s Secret model. Like Gisele Bundchen, who is married to Tom Brady, Adriana Lima also models for the famous lingerie company. The two currently have a long-distance relationship since Lima spends most of her time in Miami, and Edelman stays in Boston and LA. The two did break up over opposing views but got back together after only a few months.

Jay Cutler and Kristin Cavallari

 Cavallari is definitely the big name here. She is known for her roles on MTV shows. She played in both “Laguna Beach” and “The Hills.” The two met back in 2010 and were married three years later in 2013. Cutler is still playing for the Dolphins, having just signed a $126.7 million contract. Cavallari, however, has decided to take time off to raise the couple’s children. The couple currently lives in sunny Miami.

Cam Newton and Kia Proctor 

Cam Newton rose to relevance during his time at Auburn University. Today he plays professionally for the Carolina Panthers. The couple was first seen together in public back in 2013 at the Kentucky Derby. Proctor is pretty unknown, but she is better known by her model name, Hazel. The couple has been together since, and they had their first child in 2015. This was also the last year that Cam Newton was the MVP.

Tony and Candice Romo

Tony Romo is a former NFL player for the Dallas Cowboys. He retired several years ago, but that did not stop the interest of Candice. Candice was a Top-10 finalist in the Miss USA pageant before meeting Tony. Since she is a native of Texas, it only makes sense that she would end up with a former Cowboys player. The two were married in 2011 and are still together.

Alex Smith and Elizabeth Barry

Players and cheerleaders from the same team cannot be in a relationship according to NFL rules. This rule does not, however, apply to players and cheerleaders from different teams. This is the case for Alex Smith and Elizabeth Barry. Alex was a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, and Elizabeth Barry was a cheerleader for the Oakland Raiders. The two were married in 2009 and are still together. Alex currently plays for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Antonio Brown and Chelsie Kyriss

Despite his prowess on the field, it appears that the relationship between Antonio Brown and Chelsie Kyriss has had a few rough patches. Kyriss is the mother of Brown’s three children, but while she was pregnant with their third child, pictures surfaced on Instagram of Brown and model Jenna Frumes. Kyriss was quick to criticize Brown, but she has since deleted the post. The couple is still together, but things have not been going well for them.

Mark Sanchez and Hilary Rhoda

Mark Sanchez is a relatively obscure former player for the New York Jets. He also played in college for The University of Southern California. He retired in July of 2019. His partner, Hilary Rhoda, works as a model. She is best known for her work with Estee Lauder, but she has had other notable jobs, as well. She was in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue for three years in a row from 2009 to 2011.

Jeff Garcia and Carmella DeCesare

Garcia built his reputation during his time with the 49ers in 2000. He played quarterback for seven teams over the course of 10 years for the NFL. He retired in 2010 and now enjoys life with his wife, Carmella. Carmella is a former model, and she also spent time with WWE. She rose to prominence after being featured in Playboy magazine. The couple has four children together since they got married in 2007.

Derek Carr and Heather Neel

Derek and Heather did not start their relationship in a romantic way. They were friends long before they got together. Eventually, the pair did start dating. At one point, Heather wrote a note to Derek telling him that she was disappointed and that he wasn’t the person that she thought he was. This was a wakeup call for Derek, who made some serious changes in his life. Five years later, the couple was married. Today they have two children.

Greg and Kara Olsen

Greg and Kara have been dating since Greg was a freshman in college. He attended the University of Miami. In 2009 the couple got married. Since getting married, they have had three children, Tate, Talbot, and TJ. Sadly TJ was born with a rare heart condition called hypoplastic left heart syndrome. The condition causes the left side of the heart to be underdeveloped. They have spent their time and money to raise awareness of the disease and to take care of their son.

LaMichael Jaes and Courtney Eckhart

LeMichael Jaes is a retired running back for the Miami Dolphins. His big break was in 2010 when he rushed a total of 1,731 yards. This was the highest in the nation at the time. His girlfriend, Courtney Eckhart, is a cheerleader for Oregon. The two have been dating for several years now. Jaes retired from playing football, but the couple is certainly not hurting for money.

Lance Moore and Kasey Trione

Kasey Trione is a bikini model and Instagram model. She and Lance Moore, a former wide receiver, have been together for a few years now. They were married in 2017, only a year after Lance Moore retired from football. Over the course of his 11-year career, Lance played for six teams in the NFL. He was 33 when he retired. He also played college football for the University of Toledo.

DeMarco Murray and Heidi Mueller

DeMarco Murray is a former player from the Philadelphia Eagles. He played for seven seasons in the NFL and won three Pro Bowls. Heidi Mueller is perhaps even more well-known. She played on NBC’s soap opera Passions for five years between 2003 and 2008. The couple was married in 2015, and DeMarco has gone back to football as a coach. He is currently the running back coach for the Arizona Wildcats.

Matt Flynn and Lacey Michew

Matt Flynn is the former quarterback for the Green Bay Packers. He was drafter in 2008 in the seventh round of the draft. During his career, he won a Super Bowl against the Pittsburg Steelers. Lacey Michew is an actress who has starred in several movies. Unfortunately, most of her movies could be considered B movies at best. The couple has been married since 2013 and show no signs of splitting.

Joe Haden and Sarah Mahmoodshahi

Joe and Sarah were dating for years, even before he became an NFL player. For the couple, Joe getting drafted to the NFL was a dream come true. Joe also made a show of his proposal to Sarah. He threw a party that he claimed was a going-away party for her brother, but it was actually an engagement party for them. He proposed right there in front of her entire family.

Richard Sherman and Ashley Moss

There is no telling when the couple first started dating. It was first revealed when a picture was posted to Sherman’s Instagram account in 2013, showing the couple together. The pair then dated for another two and a half years before getting engaged. A year after getting engaged, they welcomed their first child, Rayden. We are not sure if he was named after the Mortal Kombat character, but we certainly hope so.

Jordy and Emily Nelson

The story of Jordy and Emily Nelson is a rare one, especially for NFL players. The two devout Christians have been friends since they went to kindergarten together. When they were in 6th grade, Jordy finally asked Emily out. The pair have been together ever since. They got married in 2007 and have had two sons, Brooks and Royal. Given their story and the length of their relationship, we think this one is safe.

Luke Kuechly and Shannon Reilly

 Luke is currently playing for the Carolina Panthers and has lived the typical All-American life. He grew up playing football. He started with little league, as many people do, and eventually made his way to high school and college football before being drafted to the NFL. His girlfriend, Shannon, is also a lifelong athlete. She grew up playing field hockey and lacrosse. While Luke is playing for the Panthers, Shannon is working on getting her graduate degree.

David Johnson and Meghan Brock

David and Meghan have never kept their relationship hidden. They were together before David was drafted into the NFL and have stayed together since. The couple got married after David finished his rookie season. The couple even played into the media attention surrounding their relationship. They had the commentator make a special announcement for them during the tied game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Seattle Seahawks. The couple used this announcement to reveal that they were expecting their first child.

Matt Ryan and Sarah Marshall

Matt Ryan and Sarah Marshall met during their freshman year of college. The pair attended college at Boston College. They dated through college and on into Matt’s Football career. Ryan started college playing basketball, but he later switched to football before being drafted into the NFL. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons and is still with the team. The couple was married at 25 and plan to spend their lives together.

Patrick Peterson and Antonique Larry

Patrick Peterson currently plays for the Arizona Cardinals as a cornerback. The couple met during their college years at LSU. Unlike many of the others on this list, the young couple met through mutual friends while visiting New Orleans. Antonique is a medical student who is currently working on getting her master’s degree. The two were married back in 2012, just shortly before Peterson’s 22^nd birthday.

Garrett Celek and Sarah Hinton

Garrett Celek and Sarah Hinton got married back in 2014. Before they got married, she worked as a model for the restaurant chain Hooters. Needless to say, after getting married, she retired from Hooters. Today she still leads a very active and interesting life. She enjoys bow hunting and surfing during her free time.

Reggie Bush and Lilit Avagyan

Reggie Bush, like many other players on this list, started his football career at USC before being drafted into the NFL. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints and is a two-time Heisman Trophy winner. He is also known for dating Kim Kardashian, which makes it seem a little bit odd that he married a woman who is commonly referred to as “Kim Kardashian’s Lookalike.”

Glenn Cadrez and Brande Roderick

Glenn Cadrez is a former NFL player that played for the Denver Broncos. He played as a linebacker before retiring. His wife, Brande Roderick, outshines him in the fame department. While not as well-known today as she was in the early 2000s, she is still recognizable to fans of her shows. She is a model and actress who is best known for her role in “Baywatch.”