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Sydni Paige Russell, 26, is the longtime partner of professional football player Tyrann Mathieu, a safety for the Kansas City Chiefs. The couple has been together since at least 2011 and are now planning a walk down the aisle.
Mathieu proposed to Russell in mid-May of 2019 with an engagement ring worth an estimated $250,000. TMZ reported that the rock has a “6-carat emerald cut center stone with 3.35 carats on the band” and shared video of the moment Mathieu got down on one knee. Jewelry designer ZoFrost shared close-up images of the massive ring on Instagram.
Mathieu and Russell have a young son and have been together since they were both students at Louisiana State University.
Here’s what you need to know about Sydni Paige Russell.
1. Sydni Paige Russell Has Been a Professional Dancer For Two NBA Teams
Sydni Paige Russell may be the fiancee of a professional football player, but she has enjoyed performing on basketball courts as a cheerleader and dancer.
While she was a student at Louisiana State University, Russell was a member of the New Orleans Hornets cheerleading team. The group was known as the Honeybees. The team officially changed its mascot to the Pelicans during the 2013-2014 season, after Russell had left the squad. Russell wrote in her biography for the team that she loved the “positive energy” the team embodied and described that it was an “honor” to be a part of it. She shared on Instagram that her last day as a Honeybee was in April of 2013.
A move to Arizona meant a new team for Russell. She joined the cheerleading team for the Phoenix Suns in 2014. She also wore #32 on her uniform, the same number on Mathieu’s jersey.
2. Sydni Paige Russell Finished Her Undergraduate Education at Arizona State University & Majored in Journalism
Sydni Paige Russell studied mass communication as journalism at Louisiana State University, where she began taking classes in 2011. But she made the move to Arizona in 2013 when now-fiancee Tyrann Mathieu was drafted by the Cardinals.
According to her Linkedin profile, Russell transferred to Arizona State University. She was accepted into the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She graduated in December of 2015. Russell wrote on Instagram about how rewarding it felt to receive the diploma after having to juggle school, motherhood and being an NBA dancer.
“4 1/2 years wasn’t easy by far. Never once took time off. & I am graduating now because I transferred to ASU . I was so committed. I was in school my entire pregnancy and being a new mom on the Suns Dance Team at the same time was beyond challenging but I love to push myself because I know one thing about myself. If I WANT It , it’s NOTHING or NO ONE who can stop me. It wasn’t enough hours in the day, but SOMEHOW I still made it happen. School has never been hard for me but it’s the outside things that at times made it more challenging than it needed to be and I made sure my school work never suffered. It didn’t matter what I was going through or how bad I just didn’t want to do something because of how I felt inside. I PERSEVERED! I didn’t care if I had to get sleep it off and get up at 4am to finish, I would! I had a GOAL and here I am! ✅ #whogonestopmehuh #thankyouGod #asualumni”
3. Sydni Paige Russell Became a Mother in June of 2014 & Her Instagram Page is Filled With Pictures of Her Little Boy, Who Was Named After His Father
Tyrann Jr. arrived on June 4, 2014, according to Sydni Russell’s Instagram page. She wrote a touching tribute to her son in August of that year: “For some reason I fell in love with you even more today when I thought I couldn’t possibly love you more. I feel like I don’t deserve you BUT I am so grateful I was so lucky! I feel beyond blessed and you brighten my LIFE. You make me feel so complete. Every sacrifice I have to take and everything that has to wait for mommy will be on hold in order to put you first! You really make life worth living and I haven’t taken a day for granted since you blessed this earth! Thank you God for my baby! ? #tyrannmathieujr ?”
Tyrann Jr. is now almost five years old. Russell posted photos of him from Halloween of 2018. He dressed as Captain America for school and changed into a Ninja Turtles outfit for a trip to a museum.
He may also be used to the excitement of a football game already. Russell has brought him onto the sidelines to cheer on his father.
Rusell is also about to officially become a stepmom. Mathieu has an older son named Noah who was born in 2013. The mother is reportedly Megan Edwards, his former girlfriend from his hometown. Mathieu posted a picture to Twitter on May 21, 2019, showing Russell with his two sons, with the caption, “My triangle ????”
4. Russell Was Working in Public Relations & Marketing in Houston
Sydni Paige Russell has been working with two separate agencies in Houston, Texas since 2017. According to her Linkedin profile, Russell is a Public Relations Coordinator for Paige Doucet Associations, which according to its Facebook page is a consulting agency that focuses on getting media attention for clients.
Russell also works as a Booking Manager for AENL, a digital marketing agency.
It’s unclear if Russell has continued her work with those companies since Mathieu was picked up by the Kansas City Chiefs. Her Instagram profile includes a link to a company that sells health and exercise equipment called “The Rumex.”
5. Sydni Russell’s Stepfather Was Todd Bowles, the Former Head Coach of the New York Jets
Sydni Paige Russell’s education on football likely started early. Her stepfather was Todd Bowles, who was the head coach of the New York Jets for four seasons before being let go in 2018. When Russell was a child, Bowles served stints at the Jets, the Cleveland Browns, and the Dallas Cowboys.
He was married to Russell’s mother, Jill Jenkins Bowles, from 2000 through 2007. They had two sons together, Todd Jr. and Troy Bowles.
Russell’s mother passed away on February 19, 2017, according to her obituary. She was 50 years old.
Russell appears to have been close with her mother, whom she shared several photos with on Instagram. In December of 2014, Russell posted the above photo with her mother and son with the caption, “My team! They are really my day 1’s! Your parents and your children will always be the real day 1’s, so look no further! Lol ????”
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