TJ Watt Wife: Who Is Dani Watt and Their Relationship Timeline Today
If you’re searching for TJ Watt’s wife, you’re really looking for the full story behind one of the NFL’s most low-key power couples. TJ Watt is married to Dani Watt (formerly Dani Rhodes), a former pro soccer player who’s built her own identity far beyond “athlete’s spouse.” Here’s who she is, how they met, when they got married, and what their life looks like now.
Who is TJ Watt’s wife?
TJ Watt’s wife is Dani Watt, previously known as Dani Rhodes. She’s a former professional soccer player and a standout athlete from Wisconsin who met TJ long before he became one of the NFL’s most feared pass rushers.
You’ll sometimes see older articles calling her “Dani Rhodes” because that was her name during their dating and engagement years. After they married, she began using the last name Watt.
Who is TJ Watt?
TJ Watt is best known as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ star edge rusher—an athlete whose entire job description is “ruin your quarterback’s day.” He’s become a face of modern defense: explosive off the snap, relentless in pursuit, and the kind of player who turns one mistake by an offensive line into a game-changing play.
But the part most people don’t see is how structured his life has to be off the field to perform like that on Sundays. It’s training, recovery, film study, travel, and living with a body that’s constantly absorbing impact. A stable home life matters more than fans realize, which is part of why interest in “TJ Watt wife” keeps climbing.
Who is Dani Watt?
Dani Watt (née Rhodes) is a former professional soccer player who played college soccer at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and later competed professionally, including in the NWSL. She was known for being a high-level forward with speed and finish—exactly the kind of athlete you’d expect to match well with someone as driven as TJ Watt.
What’s interesting is that Dani’s story doesn’t read like “celebrity partner who appeared after fame.” She had her own competitive career, her own routines, and her own identity long before the wedding photos ever hit anyone’s feed.
How did TJ Watt and Dani Rhodes meet?
TJ and Dani met at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where they were both student-athletes. That detail matters because it explains the tone of their relationship: it’s rooted in shared discipline and shared understanding of what it takes to compete.
When you meet someone inside that world, you don’t have to translate why you’re exhausted, why you’re obsessed with details, or why your calendar looks like a military operation. You already get it. That kind of mutual understanding is a big reason athlete-athlete relationships can work so well when they’re healthy.
When did TJ Watt and Dani start dating?
Most public timelines place their relationship starting around 2016. That means they were together through major career-building years—TJ’s rise in the NFL and Dani’s professional soccer chapter—before “wife” was even part of the conversation.
If you’ve ever wondered why they seem steady, this is a big clue. Their relationship developed before the biggest spotlight moments, which tends to create a different foundation than a relationship formed when fame is already at full volume.
When did TJ Watt propose?
TJ Watt and Dani Rhodes got engaged in July 2021. Engagement announcements are one of the few times the couple has shared a major personal milestone publicly, and it quickly became a feel-good moment for Steelers fans who’d watched TJ grow into a franchise cornerstone.
From the outside, the engagement felt like a natural next step: two athletes, years together, stable careers, and a long-term partnership that already looked like home.
When did TJ Watt and Dani get married?
TJ Watt and Dani Rhodes married in July 2022 in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Their wedding style matched what you’d expect from them: celebratory, polished, and memorable—without turning into an overexposed, nonstop content cycle.
For a lot of fans, the Cabo wedding is the moment the keyword shifted. Before that, people searched “TJ Watt girlfriend.” After that, it became “TJ Watt wife.”
Do TJ Watt and Dani Watt have kids?
Yes. TJ Watt and Dani welcomed their first child in March 2025, a baby girl named Blakely Marie Watt. If you’ve noticed the “wife” searches trending again in 2025, this is why. When a couple becomes parents, people who never cared about relationship details suddenly want the whole family picture.
They’ve shared the milestone in a warm, proud way—but, consistent with how they live, they don’t appear to be turning parenthood into a public performance. You get the big moments, not the full daily diary.
What Dani Watt has done beyond being “TJ Watt’s wife”
If you’re writing about Dani, it’s worth emphasizing this: she’s not famous because of TJ. She has her own athletic résumé. Her identity was already built through competition, travel, performance pressure, and the grind of professional sports.
That matters because it changes the relationship dynamic. A spouse who understands the intensity of an NFL season isn’t guessing what it feels like. She’s lived her own version of it. That shared reality can be a huge stabilizer—especially for someone like TJ, whose job is physically punishing and mentally demanding.
Quick facts about TJ Watt and his wife
- Wife: Dani Watt (formerly Dani Rhodes)
- How they met: University of Wisconsin–Madison
- Relationship began: commonly reported around 2016
- Engaged: 2021
- Married: July 2022 (Cabo San Lucas, Mexico)
- Child: daughter Blakely Marie Watt (born March 2025)
Featured Image Source: https://nypost.com/2022/07/11/steelers-t-j-watt-marries-dani-rhodes-in-mexico-wedding/
