A term previously used to describe the wives of girlfriends of footballers across the pond has traveled to America’s most popular sport. The term WAGs (wives and girlfriends) was popularized by the U.K. press in the early aughts in relation to Victoria Beckham, a pop singer for the Spice Girls who was married to star footballer David Beckham and a frequent fixture at his matches. While originally referring to the wives and girlfriends of footballers across the pond, and meant to be a tad reductive, it’s now been adopted as part of the cultural lexicon and has made its way to America’s most popular sport: football.
The coupling of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, the pop superstar and stud tight end for the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs (who now makes considerable more money off the field via his podcast and brand deals), has put the NFL’s WAGs under the spotlight. Swift almost single-handedly increased the NFL’s popularity among girls and women, including a 53% increase among girls aged 12-17 and 34% increase in women 35+, while adding an estimated $1 billion+ in revenue to the league. Prior to this season, the league highlighted its WAGs like pop star Madison Beer (fiancée of Chargers QB Justin Herbert), model Olivia Ponton (girlfriend of Bengals QB Joe Burrow) and influencer Marissa Ayers (Giants QB Jaxson Dart’s partner) by capturing footage of them getting cozy with their significant others at NFL training camp as part of a coordinated content rollout.
And so, with the spotlight shining on them brighter than ever and the NFL season in full swing, here are the NFL’s top WAGs, which range from influencers (and lots of them) to pop stars, entrepreneurs and Olympic gold medalists. Swift single-handedly helped improve the NFL’s popularity among women when she started dating Kelce and showing up to Chief games, increasing NFL viewership among teen girls by 53% while generating over $1 billion in value for the league. Swift and Kelce, of course, are now husband and wife, having tied the knot in July in a star-studded ceremony at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
Madison Beer is the latest pop star to generate headlines with an NFL boyfriend. Dating rumors sparked in Aug. 2025 after Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert was pictured on the set of one of her music videos. She went on to attend several Chargers games, and their relationship was confirmed in October as they sat courtside at a Lakers game.
The couple got engaged in July, and Beer shared a carousel of photos via Instagram captioned, “meet my fiancé.” In Jan. 2025, Beer released her third studio album, “Locket,” featuring fan favorites “Yes Baby” and “Bittersweet.” There’s no word on new music just yet, and it seems the couple has turned their attention towards two things: football and planning a wedding. Actress Hailee Steinfeld burst onto screens as plucky farm girl Mattie Ross in the Coen brothers’ 2010 film “True Grit,” earning an Oscar nomination for her breakthrough performance. She’s made quite a name for herself since, starring in a slew of films, including “The Edge of Seventeen” and her scene-stealing turn in “Sinners.” She also briefly moonlighted as a pop star — and was a member of Taylor Swift’s once-legendary posse in the “Bad Blood” music video.
She began dating Buffalo Bills quarterback (and 2024 league MVP) Josh Allen in 2023, and the pair tied the knot in May 2025. Earlier this year, they welcomed a baby girl named Harper; Allen described her as “the most unbelievable blessing.” The former member of popular girl group Fifth Harmony, of “Work from Home” fame, caused quite the stir with her debut solo single “Motivation” (and accompanying dance-heavy music video). She released her long-awaited debut album “Dopamine” in 2024, recently served as a guest judge on “America’s Got Talent” and has been dating the Pittsburgh Steelers’ muscle-bound wide receiver DK Metcalf, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, since 2022.
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