This narrative originates from an interview with twenty‑eight‑year‑old Ali Ridgeway, who currently resides in New Orleans with her husband, twenty‑six‑year‑old NFL player John Ridgeway. The conversation has been carefully refined and condensed to ensure clarity and focus, yet remains faithful to her authentic voice and experiences.
Contrary to the common assumption that the partners of professional football players lead perpetually glamorous existences filled with luxury, glitz, and celebrity encounters, Ali reveals a far more nuanced truth. While there are undeniably appealing aspects—occasional invitations to prestigious events, access to exclusive gatherings, and moments that feel lifted straight from a highlight reel—most days are anchored in familiar routines. Beyond the public image, she explains, life is deeply grounded in the same responsibilities, errands, and realities that shape any typical person’s day‑to‑day existence. The excitement surrounding their partners’ careers may appear dazzling from afar, but behind the scenes, there is laundry to fold, groceries to buy, and a household to keep steady amidst constant transitions.
One of the most reassuring and unexpectedly joyful elements of this lifestyle, Ali shares, is the ease of forming close friendships within the community of other wives and girlfriends connected to the NFL. These women, whom she has met across multiple teams John has played for, tend to be sincere, humble, and genuinely supportive. Bonds between them form quickly, nurtured by shared circumstances—long hours away from their partners during the season, frequent relocations, and the need to build a sense of belonging wherever football happens to take them. They often coordinate travel for away games, transforming what could feel isolating into a small traveling sisterhood. Ali recalls that one of her dearest friends, whose fiancé also plays for the New Orleans Saints, experienced pregnancy at the same time she did, making it natural to build a rhythm of shared baby playdates and mutual emotional support during those early, exhausting months of motherhood.
Ali reflects fondly on the trajectory that brought her and John together. Their paths first crossed at Illinois State University, where both were student‑athletes. John had earned a full football scholarship, while Ali was balancing her own academic and athletic commitments. Though they shared many common interests and spent considerable time in similar circles, their friendship remained platonic through college. It wasn’t until 2020—when Ali was pursuing her graduate studies—that their connection deepened into something undeniably romantic. She describes John as exuding a warmth and humor that immediately drew her in: he possesses an understated wit and delivers his jokes with the kind of dry humor that can dissolve tension and make any room brighter. Physically, his towering six‑foot‑five frame contrasts strikingly with her own height, something she notes with affectionate amusement whenever they stand together.
Their love story soon evolved into shared milestones. John proposed in May 2023 in an intimate setting—a private room at a favorite steakhouse beautifully adorned with photographs documenting their journey as a couple, with rose petals scattered across the floor. Ali says she did not hesitate for even a moment before saying yes. The following April, in 2024, they celebrated their wedding surrounded by family and friends. Just two days later, John returned to practice, demonstrating the discipline and dedication demanded by his profession. Their honeymoon to Hawaii, postponed for logistical reasons, finally took place months later, and upon returning home, Ali discovered she was pregnant. The news arrived as both a joyful surprise and a seamless continuation of their growing partnership.
The months that followed brought both excitement and challenge. While navigating the early stages of pregnancy, Ali struggled with persistent nausea while John immersed himself in training. During this same period, John transitioned from the Washington Commanders, based in Maryland, to join the New Orleans Saints. The move required packing up every possession in the midst of morning sickness—a demanding task, yet one she approached with the pragmatism that has come to define her role as a football wife. Over the span of their relationship, she estimates they have lived in five different states, each move carrying unfamiliar surroundings, new communities, and fresh logistical hurdles, but also opportunities for renewal and adventure. Accepting this mobility, she notes, is part of the unspoken contract that comes with the territory of supporting an NFL career.
Their son, Johnny, was born in February 2025 during the offseason, which provided a brief but precious window of calm. The couple returned to their more permanent home base in Bloomington‑Normal, Illinois, where both of their families reside. Having parents and loved ones nearby proved invaluable, offering not only hands‑on help but emotional reassurance during the early, unpredictable weeks of parenthood. When John departed for training camp in New Orleans, Johnny was only eight weeks old. Ali admits that this phase was laced with anxious anticipation: would John secure his position on the team’s final roster? Fortunately, once he did, Ali and Johnny joined him in New Orleans, beginning yet another chapter together.
Adjusting to life in Louisiana has been fulfilling for her in many ways. She praises the New Orleans Saints organization for their attentiveness toward the players’ families. The club, she explains, provides thoughtful amenities, including free childcare during games—a gesture that allows partners to participate in team events and support their loved ones from the stands without the stress of juggling infant care. Despite these accommodations, Ali often prefers to keep Johnny with her in the stands, the little boy perched on her lap wearing protective headphones as he watches his father on the field. Sometimes he even falls asleep mid‑game, blissfully unaware of the roaring crowd, an image that simultaneously amuses and melts John’s heart.
Witnessing John’s journey, from his college scholarship days through the exhilaration of being drafted in 2022 to his current role with the Saints, fills Ali with profound pride. She acknowledges that, during their student years, neither of them dared to imagine an NFL future. Yet now, football has become not merely John’s profession but an integral part of their shared identity as a family. For Ali, supporting her husband’s passion extends far beyond the sidelines—it means embracing uncertainty, balancing independence with partnership, and finding home wherever their next season takes them. She expresses an unwavering commitment: no matter which team colors he wears or which city becomes their temporary address, her love and encouragement will remain constant. In her words, football may be John’s vocation, but it is, by consequence, the rhythm of her own life as well.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/husband-plays-nfl-this-what-its-like-to-be-wife-2025-11
