Alabama OL Bradley Bozeman wins title, immediately proposes to girlfriend

Yahoo Sports Staff

ATLANTA – Alabama offensive lineman Bradley Bozeman likes to go for the big splash.

Just moments after the Crimson Tide’s OT thriller to beat Georgia for the national championship, Bozeman found his girlfriend Nikki Hegstetter and got down on his knee for the time-honored tradition of a celebratory athlete proposing to his girlfriend on the sidelines.

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Thankfully, for all parties involved, she said yes.

(via ESPN)
(via ESPN)
(via ESPN)
(via ESPN)

“He said you’ve been there all along and you’ve meant so much to me and then he got down on one knee and said ‘Will you marry me?’” Hegstetter said after the game.

We asked Bozeman what he was more worried for: the game or the proposal following it.

“Both,” he said.

And for a backup plan in case Georgia held on and won the game?

“Do it later. We’d figure it out,” Bozeman said, to which Hegstetter immediately responded, “There was no backup plan.”

It’s tough to have a backup plan when you’re banking on an on-field proposal after winning a title. With cameras around and some added external pressure, you have to hope things go right.

The happy couple has been dating for 3½ years and Hegstetter told Yahoo Sports she had no idea the proposal was coming. She said she came on the field after the game and was then faced with the possibility of getting engaged.

“I’m still in shock,” she said. “Really just so excited he’s getting a ring. I didn’t know I was going to get one.”

Nick Bromberg and Jason Owens contributed to this post.

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