Meet the HABs: the NFL’s Heartthrob Husbands and Boyfriends of Absolute Queens
- Lauren Gervais
- May 1
- 6 min read
They’ve got the talent, the fame and the rings – but these NFL stars really won when they landed her.
We’ve all heard the term WAGs before (and for those who haven’t), the wives and girlfriends of our favorite athletes. Some have grown their social status while others have brought a high one to the field. No matter what, there are some amazing queens that we’ve come to know and love through keeping up with the NFL. But what about the NFL pros who already have famous wives and girlfriends? Well, the term HABs has started circling social media to label the husbands and boyfriends of our favorite it girls. You know and love them, but here’s a quick reminder of which NFL players are, and can be, labeled HABs.
Jake Ferguson + Haley Cavinder
A former Miami Hurricanes basketball player, Haley is no stranger to the athlete lifestyle. After wrapping up her last season with the Canes, she’s now focusing more on her fitness influencer game with her twin sister, another former Hurricane basketball player. The couple recently announced their engagement this past month. The Dallas Cowboys' tight end is so smitten. He even pulled up to one of his games this past season wearing a Cavinder basketball jersey. We love a supportive boyfriend!
T.J. Watt + Dani Rhodes
College sweethearts to a T! After meeting at the University of Wisconsin-Madison while they were both student athletes, T.J. and Dani both went on to become professional athletes. After playing soccer in college, Dani played one season of professional soccer with the Chicago Red Stars before she moved to Iceland to play professionally for an Icelandic team, Thróttur Reykjavík. However, during her season with the Red Stars, she unknowingly played alongside her future sister-in-law, Kealia Ohai, T.J.’s brother J.J.’s wife. Watt and Rhodes got married in Mexico in 2022 and just announced the welcoming of a newborn this past March. The cutest story ever!
Zach Ertz + Julie Ertz
We’ve got another athlete power couple! Julie Ertz is a former professional soccer player for the Chicago Red Stars (yes, she played with Dani Rhodes!) from 2014-2021 and Angel City FC in 2023. She’s a two-time World Cup Champion and former Olympian. I mean, what more could a guy ask for? Zach and Julie got married in 2017 (the year Zach won his first and only Super Bowl) and have since grown their family by three, who are consistently seen supporting their dad from the sidelines. With her endless support, you’d love to call her a WAG, but I think the HAB title is more fitting here…she’s got an extra national title over her hubby.
Christian McCaffrey + Olivia Culpo
I think most boys dream of dating a supermodel, but how about Miss Universe? Well, that dream has come true for San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey. He and his wife, as of 2024, met on a blind date back in 2019 and have been inseparable since. Olivia won Miss Universe back in 2012 and was the first Rhode Islander to accomplish this. Since then, she has continued her modeling career and pursued acting. You may have seen her in The Other Woman, I Feel Pretty, Model Squad and Paradise City. But she doesn’t stop there, she is also a media personality and influencer. She’s really done it all! You can catch McCaffrey supporting her in all her posts, and the couple recently announced in March that they are expecting!
Russell Wilson + Ciara
Now this. This is a celebrity power couple. Wilson is the quarterback for the New York Giants, and Ciara is a singer-songwriter, dancer and actress. The couple has been together since 2015 and married since 2016. Their blended family consists of six children, and you can catch them at all of their events cheering them on. The couple has also founded the Why Not You Foundation, focusing on education, health and fighting poverty for children. While he can’t make all of her shows, you can usually find Wilson in the crowd looking up and jamming along with his wife’s performances and his Instagram is filled with pictures of him and his queen. The definition of how a HAB should be!
Jake Funk + Hannah Ann Sluss
You may know him as a running back for the Detroit Lions, but I know him as the one who won over the heart of my favorite Bachelor winner. She may have won on her season of The Bachelor, but Hannah Ann needed to find real love away from the reality shows. Now a lifestyle and fashion influencer on Instagram and TikTok (which are amazing btw!), she’s gained popularity for her kindness, women's empowerment and bubbly personality. The pair got married in 2024 and seems to be living a beautiful life between traveling and supporting each other on the field or in the kitchen (way to be a good HAB, Jake!).
Jonathan Owens + Simone Biles
Hmm…I think this might be the biggest HAB ever. I mean, it's Simone Biles. The most decorated gymnast in history across the globe, Simone has 41 World gold medals, including 11 Olympic medals and a record 7 Olympic gold medals. She has won the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year three times, she made the TIME 100 Most Influential list, she was recognized in Forbes 30 Under 30 and Ebony Power 100, AND she’s had five elements in women’s artistic gymnastics Code of Points named after her. I’m sorry, but there’s no amount of Super Bowl rings that can take away from this definition of a queen! The Chicago Bears football safety fully recognizes the woman he gets to call his, as he took time off during his training camp and negotiated part of his contract to include the possibility of him leaving for the Olympics to cheer his wife on. We love to see this kind of HAB, especially for America’s gymnastics icon.
Josh Allen + Hailee Steinfeld
We love him, but we adore her. Our Pitch Perfect 2 queen is more than what some may label her as, a WAG. She brings singing, songwriting and acting to the table, not to mention her incredible style. While Josh Allen may own the hearts of football fans, Hailee has over ten times the number of followers and has won the hearts of millions around the world. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t make time for her fiancé. You can catch Hailee at Bills games repping some cool merch in support. Similarly, in talk about his fiancée’s new movie release, Allen said: "I'm just there trying to support her, in whatever way that I can. That was her moment, and I'm so glad she got to shine.” They are just too cute to put into words.
Braxton Berrios + Alix Earle
It can be tough to be in the spotlight, especially if it’s a nonstop and ever-growing kind. Alix Earle has become one of the biggest influencers in the past couple of years, and it mainly started because of how open and honest she is about every part of her life. She doesn’t hold back, and we are here for it. And so is Braxton! The Houston Texans' wide receiver and influencer have been together since 2023, originally being called “NFL Man.” Braxton is now starring in many videos and posts of Alix’s. That doesn’t mean the support isn’t reciprocated; Alix is constantly posting at her man’s games. The couple is taking over the internet, and while some may call Alix a WAG, I think it’s Braxton who’s dating the star!
Travis Kelce + Taylor Swift
You were waiting for it, weren’t you? I was not about to forget the man who’s dating the world’s biggest musician right now. Miss Taylor Swift is an absolute icon, there’s no doubt about that, but she is also one of the most supportive girlfriends we know. I mean, we’ve all heard about the flights from her tour to watch Travis play. The Kansas City Chiefs' tight end has also flown to multiple Eras tour performances and has even made appearances on stage. I think the defining HAB moment for Kelce, though, was when Taylor changed her lyrics to her song Karma to “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs.” I’m sorry, Travis, but I think that means she’s the one wearing the pants in the relationship. But don’t worry, you make a wonderful HAB!
There are so many others that I could talk about, but I’m sure you already know them. And by them, I mean the queens who have NFL husbands and boyfriends, of course. Let’s move past the dated “WAG” label because these icons aren’t just part of the narrative, they’re the headlines. Take a seat, boys, sure you can score touchdowns, but your greatest accomplishment will be winning her heart.
Edited by Madison Roost
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