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Thomas James “T.J.” Hockenson is engaged to Mikala Brown, a photographer based in Nashville, Tennessee. The couple got engaged on January 28, 2023, and the Minnesota Vikings tight end has opened up about his special proposal, which took place at Brown’s mother’s farm.
Here’s what you need to know about Mikala Brown, T.J. Hockenson’s fiancée:
Mikala Brown Is a Former High School Basketball Star & Now Works as a Photographer
Brown is a native of Tennessee and went to high school at Livingston Academy in Livingston, Tennessee, according to photos of herself from her high school days on Instagram. Brown played high school basketball from 2013 to 2017 as a small forward, her Hudl profile shows.
After graduating from high school, Brown attended Tennessee Technological University from 2017 to 2021, her LinkedIn states, where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in marketing. Her profile adds that she began working for herself as a photographer in 2018, and she now has an Instagram page and website for her business.
“I’m happy you’re here! My name is Mikala, the one behind the camera,” she wrote in her bio on her website. “I try to use my outlook on life as my philosophy for photography. I value real authentic moments as well as people. I always strive to surround myself with the people I love not only because they mean the world to me but also I’ve learned that that’s where I’ve created my ‘core’ memories.”
T.J. Hockenson Proposed to Mikala Brown in January 2023 After a Horseback Ride at Her Mother’s Farm
Hockenson and Brown haven’t shared when they met or started dating, but Brown first posted a photo with Hockenson on Instagram on June 29, 2021. Hockenson’s first photo of Brown on his Instagram came in November 2021, when he wrote, “Nice little week off last week.. Always good vibes w/ you!”
A profile on Hockenson in the Athletic from October 2021 referred to Brown as Hockenson’s girlfriend, and she described her partner as “a goofball… in a good way.”
The couple got engaged on January 28, 2023, and Brown posted a photo of the moment with the caption, “here’s to you and me…. 1.28.23.” As for Hockenson, he captioned his post announcing the engagement, “Knew you were out of my league from the start… Here’s to forever 🤍 #lockedup.”
Hockenson spoke about that special moment while in Las Vegas representing the NFC at the 2023 NFL Pro Bowl Games, telling Vikings.com that he asked Brown to marry him while at her mother’s farm in Nashville after horseback riding, one of her favorite activities.
“She loves horses, and she loves being out in the country,” he spilled. “It was pretty easy for me to be like, ‘Hey, let’s go on a horseback ride when we get home.’ Being able to surprise her in that way was awesome. I don’t really get to hold very many surprises because I’ve got a big mouth and am always too excited to share them.”
“It was cool to be able to keep that one in the back pocket and have that moment with her horses; one of them in the photos was hers since she was 8,” he continued. “It was a super cool feeling.” As for when they’ll tie the knot, Hockenson didn’t say, though he shared that it was great for them to spend time in Las Vegas for the event as a newly engaged couple.
“It is cool to be able to come here after proposing and just be able to spend some together,” he said. “Her being able to see this whole event is awesome.”
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T.J. Hockenson’s Fiancee Mikala Brown Is a Professional Photographer