T.J. Watt's Wife, Dani Rhodes: Sacrificed Soccer Career Post Marriage To Life-Threatening Childbirth

T.J. Watt is one of the true icons of the Pittsburgh Steelers, having consistently contributed to the black and gold. The Steelers selected him in the first round with the 30th overall pick during the 2017 NFL Draft, and the rest is history that keeps getting better with time. From the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, three-time Deacon Jones Award winner, 2020 Butkus Awardee, five-time Steelers MVP, and multiple AFC Defensive Player of the Week and month awards.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker, T.J. Watt’s 2025 season takes a turn amid career milestones and the joy of becoming a father

What's noteworthy is that since 2018, there has been no NFL season in which T.J. Watt wasn't selected to the Pro Bowl. Fast forward to 2025, Watt signed a three-year contract extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers in July 2025, with the deal estimated at around USD 123 million (including USD 108 million guaranteed). Everything was under control, and Watt was slowly and steadily reaching his absolute best, but unfortunately, in Week 7, he suffered a hip injury.

It will be interesting to see in which direction T.J. Watt's season will go from this point. While on the professional front, there are many ifs and buts, 2025 has been a blessing for Watt in his personal life. The 31-year-old linebacker embraced fatherhood on March 10, 2025, after his stunning wife, Dani Rhodes, gave birth to a baby girl.

T.J. Watt's wife, Dani Rhodes' life-threatening childbirth: From ready for natural delivery to emergency C-section delivery

The new parents chose the beautiful name 'Blakely Marie Watt' for their little princess. T.J. Watt and Dani Rhodes shared the wonderful news with their fans through a collaborative Instagram post whose caption could be read as "Worth The Wait. Welcome To The World, Blakely Marie Watt!" After some days, Watt and Dani appeared on In Depth with Graham Bensinger and shockingly revealed that their daughter's birth involved serious life-threatening complications. The newbie mother shared that she wanted to have a natural delivery, but the moment water broke and labor began, her heart rate started dropping rapidly.

As a result, doctors had to perform an emergency C-section delivery. T.J. Watt also added that it was a 'life and death' situation for his wife and their baby. The Steelers linebacker also added that he and his wife, Dani Rhodes, never discussed what they would do if they had to choose between the baby and the mother, but that moment was really scary. Luckily, the C-section was successful, and both the baby and the mother were absolutely fine, and the harrowing experience strengthened their bond as life-partners. Currently, they're enjoying the brand new 'parenthood' phase with their daughter, Blakely, to the fullest.

Who is T.J. Watt's wife, Dani Rhodes? Steelers LB met the love of his life at the University of Wisconsin

T.J. Watt and Dani Rhodes met for the first time while studying at the University of Wisconsin. Courtesy of their mutual interest in sports, they became friends and started dating in September 2016. During their university days, while Watt was into football, Dani was in soccer, although she had also played basketball. She was so good that in 2019, she was named the Big Ten Forward of the Year and also received an All-American Second Team Honor. Dani also played a complete season with the Chicago Red Stars in the National Women's Soccer League.

T.J. Watt's wife, Dani Rhodes reportedly sacrificed her soccer career for her husband and their future

In 2021, Dani Rhodes signed for the famous Icelandic soccer team, Thróttur Reykjavík. Unfortunately, in February 2023, she announced her retirement from soccer. She didn't reveal the exact reason for her retirement and instead said, "This was not an easy decision for me, but my body and my mind are ready and excited for another chapter." However, most people assumed she retired from soccer to support her husband, focus on their marriage, and plan their parenthood.

Even to this day, people aren't aware of the reason behind Dani Rhodes' retirement. However, the NFL fandom respects Dani greatly for the way she has continued to support T.J. Watt since their college days, while also succeeding in her soccer career, before finally making the alleged sacrifice for the family.

Since leaving soccer, Dani Rhodes has been working as an entrepreneur with her husband, T.J. Watt, to grow their clothing brand, Abercrombie & Fitch. Coming back to their love story, after dating each other since 2016, Watt and Dani got engaged on July 8, 2021, and got married in a beautiful destination wedding in Mexico on July 9, 2022.

T.J. Watt's wife, Dani Rhodes: Steelers LB's university girlfriend, whom fans confuse with Emily Alabi's character in CBS' TV series, 'FBI'

One of the most interesting things about Dani Rhodes is that whenever someone searches for her name, popular actress, Emily Alabi appears. The reason behind it is that she has played a character named 'Dani Rhodes' in CBS Studios' iconic TV series, FBI. Emily's character, 'Dani Rhodes', is a special agent with the FBI's New York Field Office, and has been exceptionally popular among the show's global fanbase. It has caused a lot of confusion on the internet, and it is now clear that T.J. Watt's wife, Dani Rhodes, and the special agent, Dani Rhodes, seen in the FBI series, are not the same person.

What are your thoughts on T.J. Watt's wife, Dani Rhodes' journey from a soccer player to going through a traumatic childbirth and now acing the role of a mommy and wifey? Let us know.

Also Read: DK Metcalf's Girlfriend, Normani: NFL WR's Engagement With Singer, Camila's Apology, Cancer Battle

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