TJ Watt is well known for his family connections — he’s one of three brothers in the NFL. But his brothers aren’t the only family in his corner. The Pittsburgh Steelers football player married his girlfriend of six years, Dani Rhodes, in 2022.
The couple first met as student athletes at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and both went on to become professional athletes. After getting engaged in 2021, Rhodes and Watt tied the knot the following year in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
“When I was a little girl, I never thought I’d find someone special enough to ever change my last name… But I did and I couldn’t be happier to share my name with the man of my dreams,” Rhodes wrote on Instagram after their wedding.
In September 2024, Watt and Rhodes announced that they were currently expecting their first child together.
Who is TJ Watt’s wife? Here’s everything you need to know about Dana Rhodes.
She grew up in Wisconsin
TJ Watt/Instagram
Rhodes grew up in Waukesha, Wisconsin, where she attended Waukesha West High School. She was placed on her school’s prom track and played both basketball and soccer.
She went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison
In December 2020, she graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a BA in Life Sciences Communication.
A student athlete, Rhodes played football for the university. In 2019, she was appointed Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and received All-America Second Team honors.
Rhodes was also a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
She is a former professional soccer player
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Dani Rhodes Instagram
In 2020, Rhodes played one season for the Chicago Red Stars in the National Women’s Soccer League. The following year, she signed for Thróttur Reykjavík, a professional team in Iceland.
During her tenure in Iceland, she posted photos of herself exploring the country, including photos of trips her family took to visit her.
Rhodes retired from football in February 2023.
“This was not an easy decision for me, but my body and my mind are ready and excited for another chapter,” she wrote on Instagram. “This game has introduced me to so many amazing people, taken me to places around the world I could only dream of, and taught me how to overcome adversity.”
She played soccer with her sister-in-law
Before they became sisters-in-law, Rhodes played for the Chicago Red Stars with Kealia Ohai, who married JJ Watt in 2020.
When Rhodes announced her engagement to Watt on Instagram in 2021, Ohai commented, “I’m so happy❤️.”
She married Watt in Mexico
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TJ Watt/Instagram
In July 2022, the couple got married in Cabo San Lucas. Watt’s Pittsburgh Steelers teammates — including his brother Derek Watt — were in attendance, along with Rhodes’ football teammates from throughout her career.
Instagram shots from the big day revealed views of the ocean and a bustling dance floor. Even Rhodes and Watt’s initials were projected onto a nearby cliff.
She also played basketball
Not only did Rhodes play soccer in high school, but she was also a basketball player who put up impressive numbers. She was captain of the basketball team her junior and senior years.
In her final season, she scored more than 1,000 points and held her high school’s then-high school scoring record.
“Dani is not only one of the best soccer players in the state, but she is the leading scorer in Wisconsin for basketball,” said UW head women’s soccer coach Paula Wilkins.
He has two brothers
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Dani Rhodes Instagram
Rhodes has two brothers: Drew and Dylan. She described her older brother Drew as her “best friend and brother in one”.
She also calls her younger brother Dylan “the best little brother a sister could ever ask for.” In the Instagram caption, she wrote: “You have the biggest heart of anyone I know and I am so proud of WHO you are.”
Dylan returned the compliments when Rhodes and Watt tied the knot, thanking them for letting him be “the most beautiful bridesmaid”.
She and Watt are expecting their first child
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TJ Watt/Instagram
The future parents announced their pregnancy on Instagram in September 2024.
“February 2025,” they wrote alongside a series of photos showing Watt holding Rhodes’ growing baby bump.
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Source: HIS Education