Photo: Instagram
Of Mathieu’s 99 off-field problems entering the NFL Draft, a girlfriend definitely isn’t one.
By Leah Scher — Written on May 23, 2019
Sydni Paige Russell is a 26-year-old dancer, mother, marketing agent and now-fiancée of professional Kansas City Chiefs football player Tyrann Mathieu. Just this month, Mathieu sealed the eight years in the making deal with a ring worth a cool quarter mil just this month. According to a very specific TMZ report, the rock, designed by ZoFrost, has a “6-carat emerald cut center stone with 3.35 carats on the band.”
Not too shabby for someone who just signed a $42 million deal. So, besides being the stepdaughter of former Jets head coach Todd Bowles, who is this wholesome woman? Who is Sydni Paige Russell?
1. She was a professional cheerleader and dancer for 2 NBA teams
She worked for the New Orleans Hornets on their cheer team that is affectionately known as the Honeybees. Her last day with them was in April of 2013. In 2014, she joined the Phoenix Suns, where she wore the number 32 on her uniform to match Mathieu’s jersey.
Her profile for the Honeybees was just brimming with personality:
" I love the positive energy you get from just being a part of this amazing dance team. People truly look up to you and it is so honoring! I also enjoy our workouts and practices because we work so hard but we also have fun doing it. I’m super excited for my first season! I love to hang out with my friends, watch movies and go out to eat! It doesn’t take a lot to make me happy and a good meal can do the job!"
2. She’s since moved on to other jobs
Since 2017 she has been working with two PR and marketing agencies in Houston. According to her LinkedIn profile, Russell is a Public Relations Coordinator for Paige Doucet Associations, a consulting agency that specializes in increasing media attention for their clients, as well as a Booking Manager for AENL, a digital marketing agency.
3. Mathieu and Russell have a son together
She gave birth to Tyrann Mathieu Jr. in June of 2014 and her Instagram page is LOADED with photos of the little boy. In the arguably cutest celebratory post ever, she called him her “right hand man.” I could paraphrase her caption but it’s so genuine and beautiful I wouldn’t do it justice. Here it is for you to read yourself:
“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”
He’s now almost 5 and he has a RADIANT smile.
RELATED: Who Is Amir "Nick" Ekbatani? New Details About Kelli Tennant's Ex-Fiance
4. She cheered and mothered while also pursuing her degree
The couple has been together since they were both students at Louisiana State University, where she studied mass communication and journalism. When Mathieu was drafted by the Cardinals in 2013, she moved to Arizona with him and transferred to ASU to finish her journalism undergrad degree there. She graduated in 2015.
RELATED: Who Is Quinnen Williams' Mom? New Details On The Number Three NFL Pick And His Mom
5. She’s going to be a step-mom, too!
Mathieu has an older son named Noah who was born in 2013 to Megan Edwards, Mathieu’s former girlfriend from his hometown. He posted an adorable photo a few days ago of Russell, Noah, and Tyrann Jr. captioned "my triangle.” All in all, Russell seems to have a fierce and authentic aura. I don’t even know her and I’m so proud of her. Here’s to women supporting women.
Leah Scher is an ENFP finishing her degree at Brandeis University. She's an alumna of the Kenyon Review Young Writer's Workshop the Iowa Young Writers' Studio. She's passionate about Judaism, poetry, film, satire, astrology, spirituality, and sexual health. She draws inspiration for her writing from writer/director Wes Anderson, and for her lifestyle from her grandmother. Lastly, she's always actively seeking two things: a job having anything at all to do with publishing, and a chance to meet Jesse Eisenberg.