Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Meet Eric Johnson, Jessica Simpson’s husband and ‘incredible’ dad: the former NFL tight end for the San Francisco 49ers and his pop star wife boast millions combined – and live it up with their 3 kids

Eric Johnson and his wife Jessica Simpson pose outside their home before going on a date night in August 2021. Photo: @jessicasimpson/Instagram
Eric Johnson and his wife Jessica Simpson pose outside their home before going on a date night in August 2021. Photo: @jessicasimpson/Instagram

  • Johnson spent several seasons as a pro footballer in the NFL; he was drafted in 2001 by the San Francisco 49s but was beset by injuries before moving to the New Orleans Saints and retiring in 2008
  • He met his now wife Simpson at a house party in 2010, and the pair knew instantly they’d found the ‘real deal’ – they married 4 years later and now share 3 children

Eric Johnson is known as a former professional American football star who spent several seasons playing in the NFL. These days, though, he’s more famous for being the husband of American I Wanna Love You Forever singer, actress and fashion mogul Jessica Simpson, and a loving and devoted father of three young children.

The couple have been together since 2010 and have built a happy, supportive family, creating a life where they can each be their best. If Simpson’s Instagram is anything to go by, the family also enjoys plenty of holidays during their down time.

So what do we know about the now-retired NFL tight end? Let’s take a closer look.

Eric Johnson enjoyed an impressive football career

Eric Johnson in his San Francisco 49s uniform in a game in California, in 2004. Photo: Getty Images
Eric Johnson in his San Francisco 49s uniform in a game in California, in 2004. Photo: Getty Images
Advertisement

Before coming into the public eye as the partner of a famous blonde American pop star, Johnson had a successful career in American football, both at the collegiate level as a wide receiver and professionally in the NFL as a tight end.

Per Hollywoodlife, the 190cm tall (6ft 3 inch) athlete played football while at Yale University, and was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in 2001. Some years later, in 2007, after skipping two seasons due to injuries, he was signed with the New Orleans Saints, but he retired from the sport soon after in 2008.

How did Eric Johnson and Jessica Simpson meet?

Eric Johnson with wife Jessica Simpson while on a family holiday in Aspen, Colorado, in 2022. Photo: @jessicasimpson/Instagram
Eric Johnson with wife Jessica Simpson while on a family holiday in Aspen, Colorado, in 2022. Photo: @jessicasimpson/Instagram
Both Johnson and Simpson had previous marriages. Simpson was famously married to Nick Lachey, 98 Degrees lead singer and American TV personality. She’d also famously had relationships with singer John Mayer and Dallas Cowboys footballer Tony Romo.

Johnson’s first wife of five years was stylist Keri D’Angelo. The couple were married from 2005 to 2010, per ET Online. In fact, they were still legally married and in the process of getting divorced when Johnson first met and started dating the American pop star in May 2010.

When Simpson released her memoir Open Book in 2020, she revealed that the couple met when a mutual friend invited the former footballer to a party at Simpson’s house … and their connection was undeniable.

In a 2020 interview with ET, Simpson said of their meeting, “It was definitely instant. I think he moved in, like, a month later!” She continued, “We were both ready for the real deal.”

What is Eric Johnson and Jessica Simpson’s relationship like?