While appearing on 7PM in Brooklyn podcast, New York Giants quarterback and Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson offered fans a rare glimpse into the deeply personal moments that shaped his life—both on and off the field. The one-hour and twenty-minute episode, packed with revelations, saw Wilson speak candidly about everything from his NFL journey to the fateful prayer that led him to Grammy-winning artist Ciara.
Russell Wilson’s love story with Ciara began with a prayer—three days before their first encounter
Russell Wilson, now 36, opened up about his move to New York in free agency, citing the city’s energy and the Giants’ vision as major attractions. However, beyond football, it was his love story that stole the spotlight. Speaking about his relationship with Ciara, Wilson took listeners back to a time when he least expected to fall in love. “I was like, I’m going to be single for 10 years,” he admitted. But everything changed after a sermon by Pastor Judah Smith on “non-negotiables.” Inspired, Wilson jotted down five core traits he desired in a life partner.
“C[iara] came, just changed everything…I remember three days before I met C, I remember being at church with Pastor Judah [Smith] and I was talking to him and he said something in a sermon. He said non-negotiables…I said, I’m going to write my five non-negotiables down.”“The first one was, I want a woman of great faith,” said Wilson. “She’s got just great faith. She’s a believer. That was important to me because believing in Jesus, all that meant a lot to me. That’s number one thing. Number two was I want a woman who was faithful, not just to me but to anything and everything that she does. The third thing is I want a woman that was going to love me the way my mom loved my dad. Just how my mom, my dad was on his deathbed. Just like she was willing to do anything and everything for us and for him. I think that you want a woman that’s got grit and that’s going to be there when it’s thick, when it’s tough, when it’s hard and things aren’t going well, whatever it may be in life when my dad has leg amputated or whatever it may be.”By March 2016, the couple was engaged, and they tied the knot that July in an intimate ceremony in England.Their relationship, Wilson revealed, is grounded in mutual respect and shared values. “I think the other thing was I wanted a woman who was independent, didn’t have to be Ciara but had the right identity, wanted to volunteer, wanted to be a doctor, wanted to be whatever it is, but at the end of the day had their own identity. Didn’t want to just be Russell’s wife, but just had their own identity of what they wanted to be and create and do in life,” he added. Today, the power couple is raising four children and continues to inspire with their strong bond and public affection.Wilson also touched on his friendship with teammate Jameis Winston and reflected on his time under Coach Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh—each story weaving into a narrative of growth, faith, and resilience.Also Read: Joe Burrow blasts NFL for unfair Ravens rematch in Baltimore on Thanksgiving
