The offseason for Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka is ending in a big way — the former 1st-round pick just got married to former Notre Dame soccer star Laney Matriano.
The newly minted couple announced the news in a joint Instagram post.
“Congrats to Bucs WR Emeka Egbuka and his bride Laney Matriano, who were married,” Tampa Bay Times NFL reporter Rick Stroud wrote on his official X account on Sunday.
The couple announced their engagement in January.
“Congratulations!” the Buccaneers commented on the post from the Egbukas.
“Congrats yo,” Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams wrote in the comments.
“Congrats my brudda!!” Buccaneers edge rusher YaYa Diaby wrote in the comments.
Egbuka Got Engaged During Rookie Season
Egbuka and Matriano announced their engagement on Instagram on Friday, January 2 — just one day ahead of a Win-Or-Go-Home game for the Bucs in the Week 18 regular season finale against the Carolina Panthers.
“Everything we prayed for and more,” Matriano wrote on a shared Instagram post with Egbuka accompanied by a slideshow of pictures of their engagement on the beach.
The pictures showed Egbuka getting down on one knee in front of an elaborate setup of roses and candles and a sign which read: “Will You Marry Me Lainey?”
While the Buccaneers won the finale, they still went home, missing the playoffs for the 1st time since 2019. Egbuka, the No. 19 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, led the Buccaneers with 63 receptions for 938 yards and 6 touchdowns as a rookie after serious injuries to all 3 of the previous season’s starters — Mike Evans, Jalen McMillan and Chris Godwin — decimated the lineup.
4-Year Starter for Powerhouse Irish Program
Matriano was a 4-year starter for the Notre Dame women’s soccer program, capping her career in the fall of 2025, with the Irish losing to Ohio State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
In 2024, Matriano, a midfielder, led Notre Dame with 1,836 minutes and into the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament.
“I believe Laney is one of the best connecting players in the country,” Notre Dame head coach Nate Norman told FightingIrish.com. “She is a very technical midfielder that always seems to be calm and composed no matter what the situation. She makes the game look very easy. She also has a fantastic defensive presence.”
Great Expectations for Emeka Egbuka in Year 2
The real problem wasn’t Evans or McMillan getting back on the field. The problem was a rash of drops around the time his slump started and a hamstring injury that may have been worse than either Egbuka or the Buccaneers let on.
Egbuka wasn’t hearing all that, though, and decided to scapegoat former offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard, who was fired after just 1 season.
The Buccaneers started the season 5-1 before stumbling to an 8-9 finish and missing the playoffs for the 1st time since 2019.
“We fell into a little bit of a lull as an entire offense,” Egbuka said in May. “We got a new offensive coordinator, so we’re ready to put all those pieces together.”
The Buccaneers replaced Grizzard with another fired NFC offensive coordinator — Atlanta Falcons OC Zac Robinson.
Buccaneers WR Emeka Egbuka Shares Personal News Ahead of Training Camp