Skip to main content

Quarterback Jared Goff was selected by the Los Angeles Rams with the first pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. After spending five seasons with the team, Goff was traded to the Detroit Lions in a move that shocked some fans as well as his fiancée.

Here’s more about Goff’s bride-to-be Christen Harper including what she has had to learn to ignore that’s part of being in a relationship with an NFL player.

Jared Goff and Christen Harper on the red carpet at The ESPYs
Jared Goff and Christen Harper on the red carpet at The ESPYs | Group LA via Getty Images

Goff and Harper met on a dating app

Goff and Harper met on the dating app Raya in 2018. Harper admitted to Fox News Digital that she was the one who messaged him first.

“I swore that he messaged me first, but when we went and looked back, I actually sent the first message,” she said before adding: “So all you ladies out there, you better send the first message because you never know. You gotta shoot your shot. You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. It’s been such a fun ride–and it all started online.”

On June 16, 2022, while on a beach in Cabo San Lucas, the athlete popped the question and Harper happily accepted. She then shared the news via Instagram with the caption: “Can’t wait for forever with you.”

Jared Goff and his fiancée Christen Harper attend launch of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and Debut of Pay With Change
Jared Goff and his fiancée Christen Harper attend launch of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and Debut of Pay With Change | Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit

Harper was shocked when she found out the Rams traded Goff to the Lions

Harper recalled how their lives changed when they found out Goff was being traded from LA to Detroit in exchange for signal caller Matthew Stafford.

She spoke about that during an appearance on The Morning After with Kelly Stafford podcast, which is hosted by Matthew’s wife.

“I remember hearing Detroit and I was like, ‘Wait, what?’ I’ve never been there, and of course, I’ve never been to Michigan either, and so I had never heard a single positive thing about Detroit,” Harper told Kelly. “So I was really not sure what we were getting ourselves into. And then of course you get there and I’m like, ‘This place is amazing.’”

Harper has learned not to pay attention to what she can’t control and is focused on her career

Jared Goff and his fiancée, Christen Harper, attend the 12th Annual NFL Honors
Jared Goff and his fiancée, Christen Harper, attend the 12th Annual NFL Honors | Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Harper revealed that there is a downside to being in a relationship with an NFL quarterback and that is what fans say to her after the Lions lose a game.

“I get the most death threats after a loss. My DMs just blow up with, like, crazy stuff,” Harper said on the Courtside Club podcast

“People can be crazy, people can be mean, and I think what I’ve learned is to just not listen,” she explained. “At the end of the day, it’s a game, and of course, it’s important; for us, it’s our life, and it’s his life. But, all those other people there, they’re just there for entertainment. And, they’re gonna say things, and they’re drunk, and they’re whatever. So, what I’ve learned is to kind of block out that noise and try to enjoy the moment because it only lasts for so long.”

Related

Who Is 49ers Quarterback Brock Purdy’s Wife Jenna Brandt?

Something Harper is very focused on these days is her career. She is a model who appeared in Sports Illustrated after Goff encouraged her to apply for the Swim Search open casting call. After her debut, she was named SI Swimsuit’s 2022 Rookie of the Year.

Harper has also announced the launch of a self-care app with fellow model and influencer Elizabeth Turner. The app is designed to empower individuals and promote self-improvement and well-being. It includes “everything you need to live your best life” from “recipes to mental health tips to one-on-one coaching with experts.”