T.J. Watt is well known for his family ties — he’s one of a trio of brothers in the NFL. But his brothers aren’t the only family in his corner. The Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker 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 celebrated their wedding in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, the following year.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(1019x554:1021x556):format(webp)/tj-watt-dani-rhodes-1-333874f7f5f54336baa91f756aff9b6e.jpg)
“When I was a little girl I never thought I’d find someone special enough to ever change my last name… But I found him and couldn’t be happier to share a name with the man of my dreams,” Rhodes wrote on Instagram after their wedding.
In September 2024, Watt and Rhodes announced that they are currently expecting their first child together.
Who is T.J. Watt’s wife? Here’s everything to know about Dani Rhodes.
She grew up in Wisconsin
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(364x0:366x2):format(webp)/TJ-Watt-and-Dani-Rhodes-090124-3-8877c1cf9a8f493cbbb07cfb75723675.jpg)
Rhodes grew up in Waukesha, Wisconsin, where she attended Waukesha West High School. She was named to her school’s prom court and played both basketball and soccer.
She went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison
She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in December 2020 with a degree in life sciences communication.
A student-athlete, Rhodes played soccer for the university. In 2019, she was named Big Ten Forward of the Year and received an All-America Second Team honor.
Rhodes was also a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
She is a former professional soccer player
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(732x0:734x2):format(webp)/tj-watt-dani-rhodes-2-73dcfb725687463d9e7e34f25eb9e9c8.jpg)
In 2020, Rhodes played one season for the Chicago Red Stars in the National Women’s Soccer League. The following year, she signed with Thróttur Reykjavík, a professional team in Iceland.
During her tenure in Iceland, she posted photos of herself exploring the country, including photos of a trip her family took to visit her there.
Rhodes retired from soccer in February 2023.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(399x0:401x2):format(webp)/TJ-Watt-and-Dani-Rhodes-090124-2-4854840f483b4b63931c6ed86cb0f89f.jpg)
“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 introduced me to so many amazing people, took me to places around the world that I could only dream of, and taught me how to overcome adversity.”
