The Partners Of The Los Angeles Rams
After racking up a 12-5 record during the regular season, the Los Angeles Rams earned a spot in Super Bowl LVI alongside the Cincinnati Bengals. On February 13, 2022, both teams will take the field at LA's SoFi Stadium, and throngs of fans will cheer them on from the stands and at home. Among the people rooting for the LA Rams? The partners of the players, of course.
Being a wife or girlfriend of a professional athlete comes with a unique set of challenges. As Rachel Terrill, wife of former football player Craig Terrill, wrote in a 2017 blog post, "Fans feel entitled to know everything about every aspect of players' lives, which makes privacy hard to find." Or as Sports Illustrated put it in their roundup of professional soccer player partners, "It may not seem like a tough gig, but it takes a certain something to be a football WAG. The invasion into ones private life and constant attention by the media can push even the most level-headed person to the edge."
While some members of the Rams roster have managed to keep their love lives pretty under wraps, there are others who have opened up about their relationships to some degree in interviews and on social media. And so, we did some respectful digging and rounded up information about the team's WAGs that's been shared with the public. Without further ado, here are the partners of the Los Angeles Rams.
Matthew Stafford met his wife in college
LA Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford met his wife, Kelly Stafford, while attending the University of Georgia. At the time, Kelly was a cheerleader and Matthew was a quarterback on the university's football team. They went on to get married in 2015 and have been together ever since. Kelly has achieved great success herself during her time as a football wife and mom. She hosts a podcast called "The morning after with Kelly Stafford" where she discusses her life as a football wife and mother to four little ones.
The podcast host is also very active on Instagram, where she frequently updates her hundreds of thousands of followers on her family. Kelly is very supportive of Matthew, as many of her social media posts highlight his football wins. She has also been vocal about her own personal struggles, such as her recovery journey after developing a brain tumor.
Kelly opened about undergoing surgery to remove the tumor in a piece for ESPN. She wrote that she had been experiencing spells of vertigo, so Matthew encouraged her to visit the doctor. That was when the tumor was discovered. "A few days after the MRI, we got the results," Kelly wrote. "The medical term was an acoustic neuroma or vestibular schwannoma. There was a tumor sitting on some of my cranial nerves. I was told I needed to have surgery to remove it. And I was terrified." She recovered and appears to be thriving now.
Cooper Kupp married his high school sweetheart
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp's wife has been with him through it all. According to ESPN, the couple met during their senior year of high school. "I knew that she was the one that I wanted to marry when we had first met back in high school," he told the outlet. "I told my mom the day I met her, 'I'm going to marry this girl." The couple went on to date throughout college. At first, they maintained a long-distance relationship. Anna attended the University of Arkansas while Cooper played football at Eastern Washington University, but Anna eventually transferred schools to be closer to her boyfriend.
Soon after the couple got married. Anna explained she took care of the bills so Cooper could focus on his sport. "I supported us monetarily through college," She told ESPN. "I was working full time so that he didn't have to worry about that, so that he could focus." Anna's willingness to sacrifice for her relationship may be why Copper credits her with his NFL success. He shared, "I really believe I may not be in this — I may not be in the NFL if it wasn't for her and what she has inspired in me and pushed me to do," per ESPN. The couple now shares two children together. Anna's Instagram shows that she spends her days with her little ones, who frequently tag along to watch their NFL star father on the field.
Johnny Hekker and his wife are seemingly inseparable
Los Angeles Rams punter Johnny Hekker and wife Makayla Hekker are not afraid to show their love for each other. In a 2021 Instagram post, Makayla commemorated their anniversary with a heartfelt message. "6 years into this and I couldn't love you more. Happy Anni to my fav heartbeat," she wrote. The NFL wife's social media posts suggest her little ones keep her busy, as she often shares photos of family outings.
As for Makalya's career, the mother of two was a gymnast when she first began dating John. She spoke about her time as a gymnast for Oregon State University in an interview with Oregon Live. She shared that as two professional athletes, she and Johnny were able to keep each other grounded. "He's helped me understand how to be a better teammate, and he's really helped with my mental framework, and that's what gymnastics is," Makayla explained.
Johnny Mundt tied the knot with his school girlfriend
Johnny Mundt and his wife, Mariah Mundt, met in high school and later got married in 2019. Johnny frequently displays how proud he is to be married to his high school sweetheart on his Instagram account, where he often posts photos of her. Unlike her husband, Mariah is seemingly a very private person who does not have much of an online presence. She has an Instagram account, but it is private. Mariah does, however, have a public Facebook profile that provides information on her professional life. According to her posts, she works with Rodan + Fields selling skincare products.
Although Mariah likes to maintain privacy, Johnny has offered little tidbits about the couple's marriage. In an interview with TheRams.com, the NFL player explained the sentimental story behind a vinyl record he got for his wife as a gift. "Well, she bought me a really cool record player for my birthday back in November," he began. "So, one of the first records I went out and got was 'Coming Home' by Leon Bridges. Our first dance was to the first song on the record. We both have always liked his lyrics and classic sound, so when we had to pick a song together it felt like the perfect choice."
Van Jefferson also settled down with his high school love
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Van Jefferson has been with his wife, Samaria Jefferson, since high school. Samaria wrote about their journey to marriage on Instagram while also announcing her second pregnancy. "7 years ago, Sept 19, 2014, the day you asked me to be your girlfriend in high school," she shared. "We went from being high school sweethearts, bringing our firstborn into the world, and then enduring what felt like the toughest, longest breakup." She continued on about how she feels Van is her one and only, writing, "I always knew you were my soulmate. The person God created for me. When we weren't together, no matter how complete I felt within myself, it always felt like there was still a piece of me missing in you."
Van also shared an Instagram post that reminisced on the couple's high school days. The carousel features a photo of the couple during their teen years, in which Samaria wears a T-shirt with Van's last name and player number on the back. The post also includes a recent photo of Samaria and the couple's daughter in similarly decorated jackets. Despite relationship troubles in their younger years, it appears that Van and Samaria were able to find their way back to each other and rebuild their relationship.
Austin Corbett's wife is a former volleyball player
Austin Corbett was perhaps drawn to his wife, Madison Corbett, because she shares his passion for sports. In fact, Madison is a former athlete herself — the NFL wife played for the University of Nevada's women's volleyball team. Like her husband, she was great at her sport. During her senior year of college in 2017, Madison was selected for the All-Mountain West women's volleyball team.
She spoke on this achievement in an interview with KRNV NBC Reno. "When I received this honor last year, I already had it in my mind to get it again my senior year," Morell said. "I am so glad I was able to achieve that and prove last season wasn't just a lucky year. I wouldn't be in this position without my teammates and coaches who made me the player I was." After leaving volleyball, Madison went on to have a baby boy with her husband, Austin. The family seemed to be excited about the Rams playing in Super Bowl LVI, as Madison took to Instagram to share a photo of her, Austin, and their adorable son in celebration of the team's win.
Matthew Gay's wife is an esthetician
Los Angeles Rams placekicker Matthew Gay appears to be quite the family man. He frequently shares photos of his wife, Millie Gay, and their two sons. A baby photo posted to Matthew's Instagram suggests the couple welcomed their second child, Oaks Matthew Gay, in June 2021. Millie often shares photos of her adorable little ones to her own Instagram account, which documents her life as a mother and wife.
The mother of two even opened up about struggles her youngest son faced in a photo caption. "Our Oaksy boy is 6 months today & he deserved a post dedicated to him because this boy has been through a lot in 6 months and he has always dealt with things in silence& peace with a smile on his face," she wrote in part. As for Millie's career, she works as an esthetician. She promotes her work on a professional Instagram account that features many of the lash and brow transformations she's done. It seems this NFL wife manages to successfully balance her mom duties with a professional career.
Matthew Orzech and his wife met as teens
Like many Los Angeles Rams players and their wives, Matthew Orzech and his wife Destiny Orzech met as teenagers. Matthew first got a taste of sports stardom when he played for the Paloma Valley High School football team in Menifee, California. According to Menifee 24/7, just weeks after the two tied the knot in 2019, his NFL career officially began: He became a free agent for the Baltimore Ravens. As his high school football coach said to Menifee 24/7, "You talk about a Cinderella story, And it couldn't happen to a better person."
Although the couple is private about their relationship, photographer Erica Noelle shared a few details about their wedding day. "Destiny and Matthew are one of those couples that wedding photographers dream about. They are easy going, fun to be around, and 1000% head over heels in love with each other," Noelle wrote on her website. Destiny shared many photos of her and Matthew's wedding on her Facebook page, and the couple seems to be deeply in love.
Aaron Donald connected with his partner at work
Aaron Donald found love with one of the women behind the Los Angeles Rams. In 2019, he popped the question to Erica Sherman, who he met when she was a marketing manager for the team. In 2021, Sherman announced on Instagram she was expecting a child with the football star.
Sherman landed her role with the LA Rams through an internship, according to Sistas In Sports. She spoke on her job duties in an interview with the publication. "My job is to help bring the NFL's initiatives to life on the club level, as well as provide a link to the community through our players, staff and organization," she explained.
She also shared that she has years of experience in sports and had worked with the NFL prior to earning her position with the Rams. "I started gaining experience in high school when I had the opportunity to intern for Fox Sports and work alongside Pam Oliver," Sherman explained. "She later became my mentor throughout much of my career." She decided to switch career paths in college. It seems Sherman's Fox Sports internship unveiled her passion for sports marketing. "After speaking with a professor at LSU, I decided to change my concentration to public relations. I had my first opportunity in the NFL with the Rams as a public relations intern," she continued. From there, she began working for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and ultimately ended up with the LA Rams.
Andrew Whitworth isn't afraid to defend his wife
Many Los Angeles Rams fans may already know Andrew Whitworth's wife, Melissa Whitworth, through her outspokenness on Twitter. The NFL wife is not afraid to speak her mind, and some of her tweets have caught some buzz. In a now-deleted tweet (via New York Post), Melissa shared, "If you @RamsNFL fans want to sell your tickets — I'll buy them. Just DO NOT sell them to the other team PLEASE!" This caught the attention of former San Francisco 49ers player Joe Staley, who later tweeted (via New York Post), "If you @RamsNFL fans want to sell your tickets — I'll buy them. Just DO NOT sell them to your own team PLEASE!"
Staley's now-deleted tweet prompted a response from Andrew, who was quick to come to his wife's defense. The LA Rams player shared, "This ain't it! Could you imagine being an elite player to only become a fan who try's to troll women or significant others of players. Life comes as at you fast! I'm who I am because this would never be me." According to the New York Post, the Whitworths later resolved the controversy with Staley. Andrew's efforts to defend his wife perhaps suggests their relationship is going strong.
Odell Beckham Jr. and his girlfriend shared huge news
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.'s romantic history has been a fixture of the rumor mill. In 2017, Page Six reported that Beckham Jr. was spotted with Amber Rose at Coachella after denying a relationship between the two a few years earlier. As Seventeen noted in 2016, Beckham Jr. and Zendaya sparked dating rumors when they sat next to each other at a basketball game. When a TMZ reporter later asked Zendaya's dad if he approved of the couple, he replied, "What relationship? There's no relationship. They're just friends." Instagram model Polyxeni Ferfeli and Beckham Jr. were spotted out and about on quite a few occasions — and they weren't afraid to get close. TMZ reported in 2017 that the the pair got flirty on a beach in Cancún.
It seems that none of the wide receiver's past flings have been as serious as his relationship with girlfriend Lauren Wood. In November 2021, the fitness trainer announced the couple was expecting a child. Beckham Jr. shared the news with his Instagram followers on Christmas.
Though they didn't divulge the due date, Beckham Jr. told reporters the week before Super Bowl LVI he was on "baby watch," adding, "I don't need you to put the energy in the air about the Saturday night or the Sunday thing because I think God's got a different plan. I don't need it during the Super Bowl. I want to be able to see my child being born."