Celebs Who Found Love in the NFL: Taylor & Travis, Ciara & Russell, Hailee & Josh and More

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are two of the biggest names in the music and sports world, respectively, so it’s no surprise that the public would be fascinated by the budding romance between the two.

But this is hardly the first time that an actress or singer has found love with an NFL player. From Jessica Simpson getting mocked by Cowboys fans for daring to attend boyfriend Tony Romo’s game, to Gisele Bunchen helping Tom Brady hoist yet another Super Bowl trophy, to Ciara finding her Prince Charming under center for the Seattle Seahawks, it’s a story we know “all too well.”

Here’s a look at some celebs who have found love on the gridiron — whether it was a “love story” for the ages or not.

CURRENT COUPLES

Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce

If you haven’t heard of this couple, you must have been living under a rock for the past month! Rumors about a potential romance first sparked in July 2023, when Kelce admitted that he tried “shooting his shot” by giving Swift a friendship bracelet with his phone number on it, but failed to get the gift to the singer.

Things went into total overdrive when Swift made an appearance in Kelce’s private box to watch the Kansas City Chiefs trounce the Chicago Bears on Sept. 24. The pair made a public departure in his “getaway car” following the game, however, they’ve kept things low-profile since, with Swift turning up for another game the next week, but no public appearances together so far.

Ciara & Russell Wilson

Another of the highest-profile NFL WAGs is Ciara, who found love with the Denver Broncos quarterback after splitting from rapper Future. The pair started dating in 2015 and married in July of the following year. They share two children together — and are expecting their third — and Wilson is an extremely active stepdad to Ciara’s son, eldest Future.

Hailee Steinfeld & Josh Allen

Steinfeld was once a member of Swift’s on-stage friend squad, so it’s not totally surprising that they’ve both found themselves linked to two of the NFL’s biggest stars. The Hawkeye actress was first linked to the Buffalo Bills quarterback in May 2023, and the pair took a PDA-packed trip to Mexico in July.

Allen played coy about the relationship during an appearance on Pardon My Take in August 2023, saying, “The fact that anybody cares about [my love life] still blows my mind.” However, Steinfeld did travel to London to watch the Bills’ game against the Jaguars on Oct. 8.

Olivia Culpo & Christian McCaffrey

Following a two-year relationship with wide receiver Danny Amendola, Culpo moved back under center when she started dating San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey in 2019. The happy couple announced their engagement in April 2023.

 Alix Earle & Braxton Berrios

In another NFL romance connection, Berrios — a wide receiver currently playing for the Miami Dolphins — was previously linked to Sophia Culpo, sister of Olivia (see above). He made his red carpet debut with Earle at the ESPY Awards in July 2023, however, many of the TikTok influencer’s fans had been speculating about a “mystery man” in her videos prior to that.

Kerry Washington & Nnamdi Asomugha

The Scandal star and the NFL cornerback turned actor keep details of their personal life very private, despite the occasional stunning red carpet appearance together. After tying the knot in June 2013, the couple welcomed a daughter in 2014 and a son in 2016.

Jessica Simpson & Eric Johnson

After a failed high-profile romance with another footballer (see below), Simpson went a little lower on the depth chart with Johnson, who played tight end for the San Francisco 49ers and New Orleans Saints during his seven-year NFL career. The couple married in July 2014 and share three kids.

Jessie James Decker & Eric Decker

Yet another singer to land herself a “tight end,” country singer Jessie James married Decker — who spent eight seasons in the NFL, most prolifically with the Denver Broncos — in June 2013. They share three children and announced in August 2023 that they were expecting their fourth!

Elisabeth Hasselbeck & Tim Hasselbeck

The Survivor star turned conservative commentator married her college sweetheart in 2002, before either of them was much of a household name. Tim was a journeyman backup quarterback in the NFL from 2001-07, before going on to a successful broadcasting career, while Elisabeth appeared on The View from 2003-13, before becoming a panelist on Fox & Friends from 2013-15.

Simone Biles & Jonathan Owens

The most-decorated gymnast of all time took to Raya to meet her NFL beau, who has played strong safety for the New Orleans Saints, Houston Texans, and, as of the 2023 season, the Green Bay Packers. The pair got engaged on Valentine’s Day 2022, and tied the knot in two ceremonies in spring 2023.

Sydney Hightower & Fred Warner

Hightower — who competed on Peter Webber’s season of The Bachelor in 2020 — got engaged to the San Francisco 49ers linebacker in May 2021 after just over a year of dating. At the time, Warner shared a snapshot of the proposal on Instagram, writing, “When you know, you know.” They tied the knot in June 2022.

Holly Robinson Peete & Rodney Peete

Peete, who played quarterback for six different teams during his tenure at the pro level, surprised his actress bride-to-be with a proposal on the Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper set in October 1994. They married the following June and share four kids together.

 

FORMER COUPLES

Jessica Simpson & Tony Romo

Before there was Travis and Taylor, there was Tony and Jessica. The singer made headlines when she began dating the Dallas Cowboy quarterback in November 2007  — and attracted the ire of the team’s fans when they underperformed during a game she attended, blaming her as a distraction. Public scrutiny aside, the pair lasted for a while, ultimately breaking up in July 2009.

Gisele Bunchen & Tom Brady

The former gold standard for a football-fashion power couple, Brady and Bunchen got together in December 2006 — following her split from Leonardo DiCaprio. They married in February 2009, and welcomed two children together before announcing their split in late 2022, finalizing their divorce in October of that year.

Olivia Munn/Danica Patrick/Shailene Woodley & Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers is no stranger to high-profile relationships. The New York Jets quarterback dated Olivia Munn from 2014-17 and pro racer Danica Patrick from 2018-20. He pivoted back to actresses in late 2020, beginning a relationship with Shailene Woodley. The couple confirmed their engagement in February 2021, however, Rodgers’ relationship with Woodley ended around the same time as his professional relationship with the Green Bay Packers, and the couple called off their engagement in February 2022, only to reunite and break up once again.

Kim Kardashian & Reggie Bush

While her famous family tends to lean more toward basketball when it comes to high-profile romances, Kim was a gridiron girl back in the day! She dated running back Reggie Bush — perhaps best known for his time at USC, though he won a Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints in 2010 and had an NFL career for over a decade — from 2007-09.

Chanel Iman & Sterling Shepard

The model and New York Giants wide receiver announced their engagement in December 2017, tying the knot the following March. They soon welcomed two daughters together, however in June 2021, Shepard filed for divorce.

Kim Zolciak & Kroy Biermann

This one’s a bit of a work in progress, but we’ll call it a split for now. Biermann, a linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons from 2008-16, met Zolciak at an Atlanta charity event in 2010. The pair married in November 2011, welcomed five children together, and Biermann adopted Zolciak’s two oldest daughters from previous relationships. 

However, things have gotten rocky over the last few months. Zolciak and Biermann each filed for divorce in May 2023, making a series of allegations against one another. Then, in early July, the former reality TV stars said they were dismissing their divorce filings and giving their marriage another try.

A month after reconciling, Biermann had a change of heart and filed for divorce a second time. Zolciak then filed a motion to dismiss Biermann’s petition on the grounds that the couple still had a physical relationship. Biermann’s response admitted that the estranged couple had “engaged in sexual relations,” but reiterated that he had “no desire to reconcile.”

Kristin Cavallari & Jay Cutler

The Laguna Beach star left the beach behind when she married the Chicago Bears quarterback in June 2013. The pair welcomed three children together and made Nashville their home before Cutler ended his NFL career in 2017. Cutler filed for divorce in April 2020, though it was June 2022 before the split was official.

Kendra Wilkinson & Hank Baskett

The Girls Next Door star wed her wide receiver hubby at the Playboy Mansion in June 2009. Over nine years of marriage, they welcomed two children and starred together in a reality series, however, the marriage came to an end in 2018, and their divorce was finalized in February 2019.

Jana Kramer & Mike Caussin

Yet another tight end on the list, though this one doesn’t have such a happy ending. Kramer and Caussin — who played most of his career with the Buffalo Bills — started dating in August 2014 after meeting on Twitter. After splitting and reconciling due to Caussin’s infidelity, the pair married in May 2015. They welcomed a daughter in January 2016, however, separated again later that year, after a rehab stint for Caussin.

In December 2017, the coupe renewed their wedding vows and later went public with Caussin’s struggles with sex addiction. They welcomed their second child, a son, in November 2018.

However, by April 2021, the marriage was finally over — a month shy of their sixth wedding anniversary. In her divorce filing, Kramer accused her ex of “inappropriate marital conduct, irreconcilable differences and adultery.” 

Angie Harmon & Jason Sehorn

Sehorn, who played 10 season as an NFL cornerback from 1994-2003, proposed to Harmon during her appearance on The Tonight Show in March 2000. The pair tied the knot in June 2001 and later welcomed three daughters. They announced their separation in November 2014.

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