Joe Montana and Jennifer Wallace

When a Super Bowl MVP and aspiring model and actress meet, fireworks are inevitable, right? Not really. Joe Montana, then a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers was instantly smitten by Jennifer Wallace, who had no idea who he was. 

They met while filming a commercial for Schick. She found him charming but shy. He asked her out and six months later, they were engaged. They got married in 1985 and settled down in San Francisco. They have four children. 

Jerry Rice and Latisha Pelayo

While some couples take the plunge immediately, Jerry Rice and Latisha Pelayo took their sweet time. The former wide receiver proposed to his long-time girlfriend in 2018, then tied the knot a year later in Napa Valley.

Rice’s marriage to Pelayo is his second, as he was previously married to Bernice Mitchell. Ever since having left football, he has co-authored several books, appeared in a video game with his dog Nitus, and was a contestant in “Dancing With the Stars.”  

Rob Gronkowski and Camille Kostek

Together since 2015, Rob Gronkowski and Camille Kostek still have to put a ring on it as of 2022. Despite this, Kostek has always been a vocal supporter of her long-time partner—not surprising since she was a professional cheerleader.

Gronkowski initially left football in 2019, for reasons of mental health. But one season later, he signed on with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Then in 2022, he announced his retirement again, this time for good. They look forward to a fresh, new lifestyle together.

Drew Brees and Brittany Dudchenko

Former quarterback Drew Brees first took his shot with Brittany Dudchenko—but with disastrous results. But he tried again a few months later. Maybe because he was sober and used no line, she gave him another chance. They got married in 2003.

With football behind him, Brees has kept busy. Besides raising three children with his wife, he also owns restaurants and provides support for patients with cancer through the Brees Dream Foundation. He also makes regular tours with the USO.

Eric Johnson and Jessica Simpson

Married since 2014, former NFL tight end Eric Johnson and singer Jessica Simpson prove that sports and pop music go well together.

In 2020, Simpson published her memoir, “Open Book,” which became a global best-seller. Johnson never misses a chance to praise her, sometimes with hilarious results. When he tagged her in a birthday greeting on his Instagram page back in 2021, he thought she was turning 39 years old. Fans had to correct him: she was already 41.