Black History Month - celebrating Black love (Photo courtesy of Essentially Sports).
In honor of Black History Month 2025, we celebrate some of the most beautiful Black love relationships in the NFL. Honorable mentions to Davonta Smith and his fiancée Mya Danielle, pictured in the feature image above. We support all types of love here, and we see and acknowledge the beauty and strength in Black love relationships. Let’s take a look at 12 amazing couples within the realm of the NFL!
Black History Month’s Best:
We kid. Kind of. Russell Wilson and Ciara are one of the best couples in the NFL, Hollyweird, and in general. The couple genuinely appears to love and support each other through life’s trials. Russell Wilson has shown us in the past that we are kenough, and that his biggest sin is being one of the best step-dads to ever do it. Every woman deserves their own Russ. He loves and supports his wife and keeps any jealousy on the low low. That’s a secure couple right there. We love these two and hope they last forever.
Young Love
Jordan Love and Ronika Stone are too cute. Their love for each other is clear. I knew that Stone had Love’s back when she sat with his mother in the literal nosebleeds at the Arrowhead Stadium while he started for the Packers. The couple is engaged and is in it for the long haul.
High School Sweet Hearts
Anthony Richardson may need rest to do his job, but he is all in for his fiance Jada Richardson. They are the luckiest couple since they have the same last name – no need to change name documents post-marriage. Jada is clearly the better half of this duo. She opened a doula service that helps connect women with the medical professionals. We love women supporting women. Especially with the mortality rates in childbirth being so high for American women.
Y’all Took Long Enough
Cam switched up the order a bit, which we love. Non-traditional relationships are a reflection of our overall society and show us there’s not just one way to do things. They buck tradition in the sense that that were two babies in and then tied the knot. We have so many narratives about what men do when they love a woman.
Cam Jordan marries his beautiful wife, Nikki, and then has two more babies. The happy couple doesn’t post much on social media, but they’ve been married since 2018. The relationships you don’t know much about are often the good ones! Remember the time when his wife’s water broke with their third baby right before a game? And that he played anyway and ended up getting ejected in the fourth quarter? The baby was born two hours after his untimely penalty. He’s still sleeping on the couch for how he handled that situation.
Tyler Put His Wife On Lock
Lauren and Tyler Lockett are couple goals. The wide receiver definitely leveled up with his wife. She is beautiful and must have an amazing personality considering how wholesome her husband is. They were dating for a while, had a beautiful wedding, and are now expecting baby Lockett! How exciting. The most notable part of their relationship? Lockett told us in a podcast that he was remaining a virgin until the couple tied the knot. Tell me that’s not unique.
Pro Bowl Perfect
We love Dexter Lawrence II and his wife Donna McCain. Ms. Donna has a thriving career as a professional chef who cooks for pro athletes. Unsurprisingly, that’s how the couple met. They always say a way to a man’s heart is his stomach, and it looks like for Donna and Dexter that was true. We love a self-made woman who chooses to share her life with a worthy man. Congrats to the couple!
Black History Month Brady Brunch
We love a successful Brady Bunch family. Darius and Jennifer Slay are that couple. The couple entered into holy matrimony in 2018 with four kids on the roster. Darius came into the relationship with two sons, Darion and Demetrius, and Jennifer had one son, Trent. Mr. Slay was actually 15 years old when he fathered his first son. The couple had their daughter Desirae together in 2017, and in 2021 they added Desmond.
Besides holding down the fort, Mrs. Slay is also a social media mogul and a former collegiate Southwestern Oklahoma State University basketball player. She navigated college as an athlete with her son Trent. What a powerhouse! The Slays have brought together a beautiful and very athletic family. Darius Slay looked to other happily married men in his life and decided he wanted to do the same. We love the commitment and mentorship!
Wholesomeness
Tamela and Demario Davis are that IT couple. Ms. Tamela, more specifically, is a super mom. She has a podcast, works with the couples foundation, is a life coach, is a homeschool mother to six, and has a spotless house all at once. You can learn way more about Ms. Tamela and the family as a whole on her website—The F Word. The Davis’ have been in the news over their daughter Carly Faith’s journey and triumph over cancer. The couple brings much-needed awareness to childhood cancer. Talk about a power couple!
Meet the Ryans’
Behind every great man is a greater wife. This is absolutely the case for the Ryans. DeMeco Ryans has been creating magic for the Houston Texans as their head coach. Jamila Ryans is creating magic in her own right. She holds down the fort and their four kids while her husband is traveling. She also helps run his foundation, the DeMeco Ryans Foundation, and is a registered nurse who had her boots on the ground during the pandemic.
Longest Marriage On The List
Who has the longest marriage on this list? Mike Tomlin and Kiya Winston. They’ve been married longer than many readers have been alive. Despite both of them looking like they’re not a day over 40, they have to be since they tied the knot in 1996. The college sweethearts raised three children who are all grown and out of the nest creating their own futures – with a heavy emphasis on athletics. You have to (!!!) check out Ms. Kiya’s amazing fashion line that includes football looks for all 32 teams.
#Blessed
Let’s be honest—Jered Mayo married way up. Chantel Mayo is radiant, serving looks for days. In addition to being a knockout, Chantel is a mother of four, a social media influencer, and a woman of basically every trade—including her fashion line for kids. Talk about a power couple. Mrs. Mayo came to social media to call out the New England Patriots for firing her husband. We agree and are loving the support.
Last But Not Least
We are finishing out this list with Todd and Taneka Bowles. We give Ms. Taneka all the props for showing us that head coach Bowles does in fact have a personality. She brings a little humanity to someone who doesn’t go out of his way to exhibit it. The couple has been together since 2012 and has raised their family of four, which is also blended. Todd has two sons with his first wife, and Taneka came into the marriage with her daughter. Ms. Taneka is out here slaying like Jennifer Slay as well – she has a foundation that brings together fashion and philanthropy. We love the crossover!
That’s All Folks
We hope you love our collection of 12 beautiful Black couples in the NFL world. In honor of Black History Month 2025, we wanted to honor all the wonderful displays of Black love within the National Football League. Did we forget any couples that should have made this list? Who’s your favorite couple? Sound off below!
