The 9 Hottest NFL Couples Heating Up The League
Alright, we admit it: We got massively inspired by Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce's apparent romance with international pop star Taylor Swift for this article. As the 2023-2024 NFL season gets underway, we're taking a look at some of the hottest couples in the league. For years now, many football fans have become just as obsessed with the personal lives of some of their favorite players as they are with their activities on the field. Of course, that whole obsession falls into two categories. Generally speaking, some fans will often find themselves blaming a new girlfriend for a terrible season — thinking of them as a curse, if you will — while others tend to become emotionally invested in the off-the-field love stories of these athletes.
High-profile celebrity relationships have been pretty common in the NFL, perhaps starting with Tom Brady's romance with actor Bridget Moynahan and his subsequent marriage to supermodel Gisele Bundchen. Let's just say that Brady walked so that the rest of the league could run, and run they have. Of course, not every football coupledom is made up of two famous people, but you get the idea. Things are just starting to take shape across the league for many teams this season, but it's really the red-hot romances that are keeping us truly invested. There's really nothing like that post-game kiss, is there?
Travis Kelce & Taylor Swift
No one should be surprised to see Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift at the top of our list of hot NFL couples. What started off as a cute attempt by Kelce to give Swift a friendship bracelet with his phone number on it during one of her concerts in Kansas City has turned into an all-out NFL takeover — and we're loving every minute of it.
On an episode of "The Pat McAfee Show," Kelce said that he told Swift that she should come see him play football at Arrowhead Stadium. A few days later, the internet nearly broke when the "Cruel Summer" singer was spotted in Kelce's suite next to his mom. From there, the two were photographed driving to the after-party in Kelce's 1970 Chevelle 408 Stroker convertible.
Days later, TMZ posted a picture of Swift with her arm around Kelce, which seemed to confirm that they are more than friends. Flash forward a few more days and Swift popped up at MetLife Stadium, this time with a posse of pals, to watch Kelce and his teammates take on the New York Jets. Not only were all eyes on Swift sitting in a booth alongside Blake Lively and Sophie Turner, but it seems that everyone wanted in on the Kelce-Swift mania, even YouTube TV — the streaming service changed the scrub button to the hand-heart emoji to reference "Lover" Taylor Swift. Furthermore, the rumored relationship has caused a 400% spike in Travis Kelce jersey sales. Kelce and Swift haven't made things official just yet, but they are currently our top NFL couple to watch.
Russell Wilson & Ciara
Russell Wilson and his wife, Ciara, were Seattle royalty for years — and everyone knew it. Since Wilson was traded from the Seahawks to the Denver Broncos, the duo has been making a mark on Colorado, and much of that is thanks to Wilson's gameplay. So far in the 2023-2024 season, Wilson is ranked third in the NFL in passer rating (tied with Josh Allen).
But enough game talk. Wilson met his now wife, who happens to be an entertainer herself, at a basketball game in Wisconsin in 2015. They hit it off right away and got engaged a year later.
Wilson and Ciara seem to drip chemistry, and their love for one another is nothing short of palpable. Following their July 2016 wedding, they started a family together. Their daughter, Sienna, was born in 2017, followed by their son, Win, in 2020, and now the duo is getting ready to welcome their third baby together (also part of the family, Ciara has an older son with ex, Future). On October 1, 2023, Ciara shared some photos of her baby bump on the field. "I love you so much. #3," she captioned an Instagram post of her and Russell posing, showing her man some love. And there is nothing sexier than Ciara's dedication to her main squeeze. At the 2021 Met Gala, for example, she wore a glitzed-out gown that featured Wilson's number "3" on the front. She also carried a football clutch and wore her hubby's Super Bowl ring. We love to see it.
Jake Funk & Hannah Ann Sluss
You may recognize Hannah Ann Sluss from her time on Peter Weber's season of "The Bachelor." She actually ended up engaged to Pilot Pete, though the two didn't stay the distance. Following her time on reality television, Sluss ended up meeting Colts running back Jake Funk after he sent her a DM.
In the early days of their budding romance, Sluss and the Indianapolis footballer kept their relationship on the DL. Despite many rumors that the two were indeed dating, Sluss didn't make things official until Super Bowl LVI; at the time, Funk was playing for the Los Angeles Rams. "We're very private and, you know, that just seems to be the best for us right now. With my past, things have been public and nothing really necessarily good has come from it, in my opinion," she told Us Weekly after going public with Funk.
In January 2023, after about two years together, Sluss shared a TikTok to announce that Funk had proposed. In an interview with Us Weekly about a month after their engagement, Sluss said that she and Funk were moving to Florida and then planning to tie the knot in 2024 — after football season, of course. "I don't really have, you know, any vision in mind other than something small," she told the outlet.
Christian McCaffrey & Olivia Culpo
Running back Christian McCaffrey seems to have everything going for him these days. Aside from scoring four touchdowns for the San Francisco 49ers on October 1, 2023, he is also engaged to former Miss Universe Olivia Culpo. The two first sparked dating rumors in 2019, and Culpo later shared that, although she had no interest in dating another football player (she was previously in a long-term relationship with Danny Amendola), she agreed to let her friends set her up with their friend. "Thank you for being my rock and restoring my faith in love. You are everything I ever dreamed of and more," she captioned an Instagram post in June 2022, sharing the story of how they met.
Culpo has been a staple in the crowd, cheering on the Carolina Panthers prior to McCaffrey being traded to San Francisco. While the two have spent much of their relationship being apart due to their hectic schedules, they built a strong bond, got a dog together (Oliver Sprinkles), and have gotten engaged. Culpo shared some photos of the proposal on her Instagram feed in April 2023.
In an interview with E! News, Culpo revealed that she and McCaffrey were planning to wed during the off-season: "They really do work all year. So there's only, genuinely, only a few weeks where we can actually make it work." Culpo is all about prioritizing the game. In the time leading up to their special day, you can catch Culpo in the stands, decked out in Niners gear, and rooting for her guy.
Jonathan Owens & Simone Biles
In May 2023, Jonathan Owens inked a deal with the Green Bay Packers after spending four seasons in Houston. But it's not just a new team that Owens is adapting to; he also became a husband. Owens started dating Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles in 2020; apparently, the two actually met on a dating app. Their romance was kicking into high gear over the next year or so, and the two fell in love. The two athletes have spent the subsequent years supporting each other in their respective crafts, with Biles routinely decked out in Owens' jerseys and rooting for her man's team and Owens on hand to cheer Biles on as she competes in gymnastics.
When Biles decided to bow out of the Olympic Games in July 2021 to focus on her mental health, Owens was right by her side. "Imma ride with you through whatever baby. Your strength and courage is unmatched and you inspire me more and more everyday SB. You always gone be my champ baby and don't you ever forget that," he captioned an Instagram post at the time. And he wasn't kidding. He proposed to Biles seven months later, and Biles became Mrs. Owens in 2023. They got married at city hall in Houston in April 2023 before exchanging vows in front of family and friends in Mexico a few weeks later.
It's been a wild ride for these two cuties ever since, with Owens joining the Pack and Biles eyeing the 2024 Olympics, but they're totally making it work.
Josh Allen & Hailee Steinfeld
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and "Pitch Perfect" star Hailee Steinfeld may not be ready to take their romance public, but we're all over this hot hook-up. Chatter about an Allen-Steinfeld relationship started when someone snapped a photo of the two out to dinner and People magazine published the photo in May 2023. From there, rumors took flight, and just about everyone was curious if these two were the real deal. Sure enough, a few days later, People magazine quoted a source confirming that Allen and Steinfeld had been "hanging out."
And while Steinfeld may not be ready to shout out her new man from the rooftops, things seem to be going swimmingly so far. While they aren't Instagram official, Steinfeld did show up to the Buffalo game at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York on September 17, 2023. A couple of weeks later, Steinfeld was spotted with Allen's mom, Lavonne Allen, as the two shopped for some new NFL gear. The girls-only shopping day was outed by the shop Leveled Up Buffalo thanks to an Instagram share. "Pinch me," read the post's caption, clearly written by a super excited employee (or shop owner).
So, this totally means that things are getting serious between Josh and Hailee, right?
Braxton Berrios & Alix Earle
Following Braxton Berrios' sudden split from Sophia Culpo (you'll find her older sister further up on this list), he was linked to TikTok influencer Alix Earle. The two weren't in any kind of rush to take their relationship public, however, and kept things quiet for quite some time, instead cryptically dropping casual hints about someone new in their respective lives. Some fans, however, were able to figure out who Earle was dating by analyzing her TikTok videos. Sure enough, these two finally decided it was time to make things official. In July 2023, they walked their first red carpet together at the ESPYs, debuting the new matchup.
Earle doesn't seem to be too concerned with keeping her feelings for Berrios a secret anymore. The New York Post shared photos of her wearing Berrios' number "0" at a Miami Dolphins game in September 2023. In one picture shared by the outlet, Berrios raced over to the sidelines to embrace his lady friend at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. This relationship might be brand-spankin' new, but we can't wait to see how things turn out for these lovebirds.
AJ McCarron & Katherine Webb
Quarterback AJ McCarron has returned to the Cincinnati Bengals after spending a season playing in the XFL, and while he's not a starter, he's happy to be back in Ohio. People familiar with the NFLer may recognize his wife, Katherine Webb. A former beauty pageant gal (she was previously crowned Miss Alabama), Webb has had fans chatting for years.
For example, in 2013, when she attended one of her now-husband's college football games, announcer Brent Musburger revealed that she was the person dating McCarron and called her "beautiful" on air. Fortunately, Webb wasn't upset by the comment and she totally embraced being an athlete WAG. That same year, she posed for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition wearing her man's number and posing with a football helmet.
And McCarron and Webb haven't lost their titles of hot NFL couple, either. They went on to get married and have three boys together. Although they aren't super active on social media, McCarron has been known to share tributes to his wife on special occasions, like her birthday. "Happy Birthday Beautiful!! @_katherinewebb We're so blessed to have you in our lives," he captioned an Instagram post featuring cute photos of the family in April 2020.
Kyle Van Noy & Marissa Powell
Any list of hot NFL couples would be remiss without a mention of Kyle Van Noy and Marissa Powell. The Baltimore Ravens linebacker and his stunning wife, and were the best of friends in college at Brigham Young University. The two tied the knot in 2014, less than one year after Van Noy graduated. In the time since, Van Noy and Powell have become an NFL power couple, from Van Noy's time with the New England Patriots to the present day. They have two adorable children together; Trae, who was born in 2019, and Giavanna, who made them a family of four in February 2022 (the pics on Instagram to announce her birth are adorable!).
Perhaps what makes the Van Noys an amazing couple is the work that they do together that is unrelated to football. They established the Van Noy Valor Foundation in 2014 to help children in need. "Encouraging personal valor in the lives of adopted children, those in foster care, and disadvantaged youth by armoring them with success through resources, mentors, and opportunities," reads the foundation's mission statement. These two may be very easy on the eyes, but their dedication to giving back and helping others makes them even hotter.