Wives of NFL players have to provide a unique level of support in order to help their athletes reach their goals. Veteran NFL agent and Pro Mindset® Podcast host Craig Domann talks with Hannah, wife of Indianapolis Colt Luke Rhodes, and Nina, wife of Houston Texan Dylan Cole as they give their perspective of the league and an inside look at what goes on behind the scenes and the challenges that come with being in committed relationships with professional athletes. From putting their own passions on hold to moving away from their home and families, Hannah and Nina talk about their role in helping to build the belief and healthy lifestyle of an NFL player.
“There's some days when he just doesn't really want to talk very much. I think ‘just support him and make sure he's in the right mindset.’ The mentality that they have is huge.” --Hannah Martin Rhodes
The job of any partner is to be a good support system, and this is even more important for athletes. Because athletes have a highly competitive job, a bad day can breed doubts about their standing for the rest of the season. As a big part of their support system Hannah and Nina shared that they support their husbands in any way they can, even if what they need is a break from football. Hannah says that one thing she does for Luke to stop the focus on football when he gets home, is to not ask him a bunch of questions about it. It is hard since it’s a big part of his day, but she says she doesn’t bring it up unless he does first. This way he can have a break and not have to focus on what is sometimes a bad day on-the-field. A player’s support system is a huge part of building belief in themselves. To have a partner who believes in them and can give them the right support at the right time helps to contribute to their Pro Mindset and ultimately perform better on-the-field.
“I say life goes through different phases and you have to remember that. Right now football is life.” --Nina Privitera Cole
The lifestyle of an NFLer is constant training, practice, and game days. To be an athlete’s partner you have to not only cope with that but support it as well. Nina and Hannah both explain that their husbands football careers are finite and that eventually as a couple they will have a chance to move on when that career is over. The time in which they focus on helping their husband’s through their career has an expiration date shorter than most careers. They get to enjoy the time they have now with the team and the other wives but look forward to when it is their time to have their husband’s support them instead. Because the season is so demanding, they save a lot of activities for the offseason. From vacations to remodeling the off-season is almost as busy as the regular season. Hannah and Nina both say the key to being the wife of an NFLer is to be flexible. Any jobs or activities they take on have to work with the off-season and still allow them time to do the things like cooking dinner and taking care of shopping and laundry to help make their man’s life easier. It may seem like simple household tasks, but it’s much more than that. It is the selflessness of putting their careers and passions on hold in order to support their partners. It is moving to a new city when their husbands are traded or cut and holding down the home front on their own. It is a lot of work on the wives’ part to provide support for their husband so that they can come home and relax after hours of practice, training, and the stress of dealing with mistakes and uncertainty.
To hear more from Nina, Hannah, and the pro athletes’ wives’ role in helping to build and maintain an NFLer’s Pro Mindset, listen to the Pro Mindset Podcast here.