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Updated Oct 14, 2024Our Favorite NFL Wives and Girlfriends & Their Love Stories
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are on this list (obvi).
Photos, from left to right: Gotham / Getty Images, Craig Barritt / Getty Images
In the high-stakes world of professional football, the spotlight often shines brightest on the players. However, there's another captivating aspect that deserves our attention: the love stories these players share with their NFL wives and girlfriends. These women, from various walks of life, bring their own experiences and outlooks to the relationships, often forming an integral part of the players' support systems.
In this article, we'll take a look at 15 different relationships, including Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, Jason and Kylie Kelce, as well as Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Matthews. If you find yourself wanting even more insight on each couple, we have a relationship timeline devoted to each pairing. From college sweethearts to newlyweds who met on dating apps, here are some of our favorite NFL wives and girlfriends in relationships with America's famous football players.
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift
Photo: Gotham / Getty Images
When it comes to our favorite NFL girlfriends, how could we not mention Taylor Swift? Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce might have been the most talked about couple to spark a romance in 2023. After plenty of speculation and rumors about the pair, Swift finally opened up about her relationship in her Time Person of the Year 2023 feature.
"This all started when Travis very adorably put me on blast on his podcast, which I thought was metal as hell," she said. "We started hanging out right after that. So we actually had a significant amount of time that no one knew, which I'm grateful for, because we got to get to know each other. By the time I went to that first game, we were a couple. I think some people think that they saw our first date at that game? We would never be psychotic enough to hard launch a first date." Swift and the 35-year-old NFL star seem to be going strong, especially after she appeared at his first game of the 2024 season, which took place at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
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Jason and Kylie Kelce
From meeting on Tinder in 2015 to tying the knot in 2018, Jason Kelce and his wife Kylie have proven that you really can find your soulmate on a dating app. She grew up in the suburb of Narberth just outside of Philly. This beloved NFL wife was familiar with the sports world long before meeting Kelce, having played field hockey in both high school and college.
According to Philadelphia Magazine, the Kelces got married on April 14, 2018. They said "I do" in front of 170 guests, along with Winnie, their 120-pound Irish wolfhound. The couple now share three daughters: Wyatt Elizabeth Kelce, Elliotte Ray Kelce, and Bennett Llewellyn Kelce.
Brock Purdy and Jenna Brandt
San Francisco 49ers' quarterback Brock Purdy and his wife Jenna Brandt got married in March 2024, weeks after he appeared in Super Bowl LVIII. Like Purdy, Brandt is also familiar with the world of sports. A talented athlete in her own right, she played volleyball competitively throughout high school and university. The couple went public about their relationship back in November 2022 and got engaged in July 2023.
Joe Burrow and Olivia Holzmacher
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Olivia Holzmacher met in college and went official on Instagram in August 2017. Holzmacher posted a cute snap of the pair to her account, along with a sweet caption that says: "10/10 ...1 being the best."
After graduating from Ohio State with degrees in data analytics and social sciences, Holzmacher scored a job as a data analyst for Kroger. Throughout Burrow's football career, she has cheered him on from the sidelines and celebrated his successes with social media shoutouts.
After the Bengals scooped him up during the NFL Draft in April 2020, Holzmacher shared a series of photos dedicated to her boyfriend. "Tonight a new chapter starts for you!" she wrote in the caption. "Thankful to be by your side joe and to be a part of the past three seasons. I've had the best experiences and met the best people along the way. So excited for what the future holds. Tonight will be once in a lifetime night for you."
Dak Prescott and Sarah Jane Ramos
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and his girlfriend Sarah Jane Ramos were first linked in September 2023. Just a few weeks after making their relationship public, the couple announced they were expecting their first child together. You can see some stunning pregnancy photos of Ramos on her Instagram account, where she shared that they are expecting a baby girl.
They welcomed their daughter in February 2024, which they announced a month later on social media. "MJ Rose, Being your parents is the biggest blessing life has to offer and we are so fortunate that you are ours," the NFL couple shared in a joint post on Instagram. "Welcome into this world, baby girl, you will always be loved and protected! We are so IN LOVE with you ♥️."
According to her social media, Ramos is from Tampa Bay, Florida. She studied criminalistics and criminal science at Florida State University and currently works as a distribution manager at Southern Glazers Wine & Spirits.
Jalen Hurts and Bry Burrows
Photo: Craig Barritt / Getty Images
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and girlfriend Bry Burrows have had an on-again, off-again relationship for at least seven years. They met at the University of Alabama in 2016, where both Burrows and Hurts studied, but they only made their first public appearance at the 2023 NFC Championship match.
While Burrows graduated from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor's degree in political science, Hurts transferred to the University of Oklahoma for his last college season. Despite the distance, it is believed that the two kept in touch. Afterward, Burrows pursued a master's degree in business administration at her alma mater. According to her LinkedIn, she now works for IBM as an AI Partner in Dallas, Texas.
The couple trends to keep their relationship out of the spotlight, but they finally made their red carpet debut as a couple at the Time 100 Next Gala in October 2023.
Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Matthews
When it comes to NFL players' wives who have been there from the start, look no further than Brittany (Matthews) Mahomes. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and wife Brittany Matthews go way back — they're actually high school sweethearts. They even went to prom together in 2013.
Mahomes proposed in 2020 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, just after the team received their Super Bowl 54 rings. The pair were married in a lush destination wedding in Hawaii on March 12, 2022. Matthews wore an elegant Versace wedding dress with cutouts on the bodice, while the groom rocked a gray suit with sparkly loafers.
So far, they've welcomed three children together; a daughter, Sterling Skye, and a son, Patrick "Bronze" Lavon Mahomes III, and are expecting a third due later this year.
Isaac Rochell and Allison Kuch
You've probably already seen NFL player Isaac Rochell and his wife Allison Kuch, an interior designer and content creator, pop up on your social media feeds. The pair have gained traction on TikTok and IG through Kuch's videos, which depict the reality of NFL family life. The couple, who had their first child in December 2023, met in 2014 at a college party.
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Rochell proposed in July 2020 and after a secret elopement in December 2020, they had a destination wedding in Mexico in April 2021. Kuch, who has three million followers on TikTok, showcases her life as an NFL wife, earning her enough online recognition that people now often refer to Rochell as "Mr. Kuch" or "Allison's husband."
Kirk Cousins and Julie Hampton
NFL quarterback Kirk Cousins and his wife Julie Hampton have been married since 2014. According to the Washington Post, the pair met through a mutual family friend in 2012. A year later, Cousins proposed and the two wed shortly after. She and her husband have two sons together, Cooper, who was born in 2017, and Turner, who they welcomed in 2019.
Hampton prefers to stay out of the limelight and hasn't shared much about her personal life with the public, but she did appear in several scenes of Quarterback, the 2023 Netflix docuseries that shared a glimpse into the lives of Cousins, Patrick Mahomes and Marcus Mariota, along with the NFL players wives and families.
Kenny Pickett and Amy Paternoster
Former Pittsburgh Steelers player (and current backup QB for the Eagles) Kenny Pickett and his wife, Amy Paternoster, grew up in the same New Jersey town, but they didn't connect romantically until 2021. "We worked out at the same place growing up because Amy played soccer and I played football," Pickett said in an interview with People. "We started training at this place when I was like 12 years old and Amy might have been 10, so I knew her growing up from there. We never talked and then she went off to Princeton and I went to Pitt. We came home on a college break and saw each other at a party and hit it off."
The pair got engaged in January 2022 and married a year later with a summer ceremony at Pleasantdale Chateau in New Jersey. "I knew when I first started dating Amy that I wanted to marry her," he recalled. "Now that the day is here, it's really special to get to spend the rest of your life with the person that means the world to you."
Matthew Stafford and Kelly Stafford
From on-again-off-again dating to raising a family together, Los Angeles Rams' quarterback Matthew Stafford and wife Kelly Stafford's love story dates back to their days at the University of Georgia.
Since meeting as freshmen in 2006, the couple have been through a lot together, including a significant health scare. In 2019, Kelly was diagnosed with a brain tumor and had to have surgery. Although there were some complications (what was meant to be a six-hour surgery turned into a 12-hour procedure), the surgery was a success and the Staffords were able to return to their day-to-day life. Kelly and Matthew are proud parents of four daughters, who you can see featured in plenty of adorable photos on her Instagram account.
Jared Goff and Christen Harper
Detroit Lions' quarterback Jared Goff and his wife Christen Harper met on Raya, an exclusive dating app used by celebrities. "I was truly not looking for anything at the time," Harper said in a video from Sports Illustrated. "I had just gotten out of a long relationship and I was trying to stay single for a year. Then I met him and the rest is history, baby."
Harper, a model and actress, was named as a Sports Illustrated swimsuit rookie of the year in 2022. She has also appeared in several films and a web series called Web of the League, which delves into the lives of NFL players' wives and girlfriends. The couple got engaged in June 2022 while vacationing in Mexico. The officially tied the knot on June 22, 2024, in Ojai, California.
Jake Funk and Hannah Ann Sluss
Whether you're a fan of football or The Bachelor, you'll likely know a little bit about Jake Funk and Hannah Ann Sluss. Prior to becoming romantically involved with the NFL running back, Sluss starred in season 24 of The Bachelor in 2019 — which put her in the spotlight before dating a famous athlete. She won the season and got engaged to Peter Weber on the season's finale, but Weber ended up calling it off before they moved forward with a wedding.
In 2022, Sluss and Funk connected for the first time via TikTok. In a GRWM video she posted, Sluss explained how Funk slid into her DMs. "I was looking through my DMs, and I get this DM from Jake that says, 'Shooter's shoot.' I ended up saying back 'Slam dunk.'"
A slam dunk indeed! The pair got engaged in January 2023 while on vacation in Cabo San Lucas. They hosted two weddings in 2024: a private elopement in Italy, followed by a colorful reception party in Miami with their loved ones. "My goal for our guests was to enter the reception room feeling like they were taken away to a fun Miami tropical oasis," Sluss told The Knot in an exclusive interview.
Eli Manning and Abby Mcgrew
Photo: WWD / Getty Images
Former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning & Wife Abby McGrew met in 2002, both as students at the University of Mississippi. The college sweethearts married in 2008 in a private ceremony in Mexico. They celebrated on the beach with around 60 guests. They are now parents to four children, three little girls and a son.
The Mannings prefer to keep their private lives low-key, but Eli Manning has mentioned his family here and there. During his retirement press conference in 2019, he said, "I don't think I need to make public comments for my family to know how I think about them. But Abby, and to Ava and Lucy and Caroline and Charlie, you are my rock."
Peyton Manning and Ashley Thompson
Photo: MCT / Getty Images
Like his brother Eli, retired quarterback Peyton Manning and his wife Ashley Thompson prefer to keep their personal lives away from the limelight. They met just before Manning's freshman year of college, which Manning elaborated on in his book Manning: A Father, His Sons and A Football Legacy. "It was in August, at one of the few fraternity parties I went to. We were introduced and only talked a little while. I didn't make a big first impression (she said later my pastel shirt was a turnoff) but I was certainly impressed."
Thompson hasn't addressed the public much, but she did say this to the Indianapolis Woman Magazine in 2006: "I'm very independent. I do a lot of my own things. I like to stay out of the spotlight; people may think I am aloof, but I'm not and I am not shy by any means, but I always let Peyton shine."
While their personal lives are kept under wraps, Manning's career in the NFL is well-known—and celebrated. He played in the league for 18 seasons and retired with several record-breaking achievements, including two Super Bowl victories and five MVP awards.
Sean McVay and Veronika Khomyn
Photo: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Getty Images
Los Angeles Rams Coach Sean McVay and wife Veronika Khomyn met in the early 2010s, but didn't get engaged until June 2019. The pair married on June 4, 2022, in a ceremony at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles.
Khomyn, a model and licensed realtor, was born in Ukraine. She immigrated to the US in 2009 and eventually studied international business at George Mason University. Afterward, she pursued a master's degree in global management at Arizona State University. Like many NFL players and NFL players' wives and girlfriends, the couple prefer to keep their personal lives fairly private.
