Jessie James Decker is reflecting on the bittersweet ending of her husband Eric's NFL career.
Jessie James Decker is reflecting on the bittersweet end of her husband Eric's NFL career.
The 31-year-old wide receiver announced he was retiring from the NFL after eight seasons with an Instagram post on Sunday. Eric signed a one-year contract with the New England Patriots earlier this month, though on Sunday, he surprisingly announced he's retiring.
On Monday, Jessie shared an emotional message on Instagram reflecting on the years she's spent cheering her husband on. The 30-year-old singer posted a sweet throwback of the two when Eric still played for the Denver Broncos, the timestamped photo dating back to 2011.
"Yesterday was an emotional day," Decker wrote. "My amazing hubby decided to retire from playing football and I couldn’t be more proud of him and his decision. I cried, smiled and ultimately respected his choice to finish this chapter to start another. This pic was from the first football season I ever shared with him his second year for the broncos."
"I loved every minute cheering him on in the stands, meeting amazing friends along the way, bringing our new babies and toddlers to the games as they chanted 'daddy football daddy football' in the car on the way the stadium each Sunday," she continued, referring to their three children together -- 4-year-old daughter Vivianne, 2-year-old son Eric and their newborn son, Forrest, whom they welcomed in April. "From training camps lugging the babies in the wagons and seeing them run to you on the practice field to get that 30 minutes a day to see daddy. I have loved every moment of the last seven years watching my husband kick some serious a**! It’s a career he should be proud of. Can’t wait to share the next adventure with you babe and the amazing things you will do in the future! I love you so much my lover!!! Ps you said you were going to drive that beat up old Chevy Tahoe u got in college and ride it through the ground until you finished playing football, can we please get a new one now? Lol #footballisfamily."
In Eric's statement on Sunday, he also said he was looking forward to spending more time with Jessie and their kids. The couple stars in the E! reality show Eric & Jessie: Game On.
"It has been my childhood dream and my passion to play the game of football," Eric wrote. "I was very fortunate and blessed to have had the opportunity to have those dreams fulfilled and to have played with such extremely talented and hard-working teammates, coaches and staff.”
“This has been a passion inside of me since I was a little boy but I know now it is time to hang my helmet up and start a new chapter in my life,” he continued. "I love football and I always will. It will continue to be a part of my life. I'm looking forward to spending more time with my wife and kids."
ET spoke to Jessie last September, when she talked about how excited she was when Eric signed a one-year contract with the Tennessee Titans in June 2017 after being released by the New York Jets -- specifically because of her Nashville roots due to her country music career. She also foreshadowed his retirement.
"I honestly never thought that could happen," Jessie told ET at the time. "That seemed so in the distance, way too good to be true. I remember saying to Eric, 'Well, maybe whenever you're ready to retire, you just got one year left in you, maybe you can just tell your agent to just give 'em [the Titans] a call.' I would be funny with it. So, when it actually did happen, I was like, 'What? This is real life? We get to just stay home?'"
She also talked about how she knew the pro athlete was "the one."
"Whenever we spent some time apart from each other, I truly felt like I couldn't live without him," she noted. "I would just think to myself, 'I cannot live without this man. I cannot go another day without him in my life.' He was just such a kind, warm person. I believe in soulmates and I just knew that we were meant to be together."
For more on the couple, watch the video below:
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