Who Is Kenny Pickett's Wife? All About Amy Paternoster

Here's everything to know about the NFL quarterback's wife, who he wed in June 2023

Get to know Kenny Pickett's wife.

The Pittsburgh Steeler's quarterback tied the knot with Amy Paternoster in a "fairytale celebration" in New Jersey on June 24, 2023.

"She makes me a better person," Pickett — who proposed to his bride back in January 2022 before the Steelers drafted him in April, told PEOPLE exclusively.

Although the couple only began dating in 2021, they've known each other for several years. In fact, it was sports that brought the NFL player and his now-wife together in the first place, as Paternoster is an athlete in her own right.

"I knew when I first started dating Amy that I wanted to marry her," added Pickett. "Now that the day is here, it’s really special to get to spend the rest of your life with the person that means the world to you."

Love filled the air at the wedding ceremony — not only from Pickett and Paternoster but from the 275 guests that were in attendance. "We’re super close with our friends who have been with us for our whole lives, so we definitely wanted everyone there to celebrate," Paternoster told PEOPLE.

In addition to the love and support from family and friends, there was another element sprinkled throughout the reception that meant a lot to the married couple: all things Steelers. Between the wedding officiator and a Steelers ice sculpture, team spirit filled the air as well.

Read on for everything to know about Pickett's wife, Amy Paternoster.

Related: Steelers QB Kenny Pickett Marries Amy Paternoster in New Jersey: 'She Makes Me A Better Person' (Exclusive)

She has known Kenny since childhood

Pickett and Paternoster go way back, despite only dating since 2021. The Steelers quarterback and his wife grew up in the same town near the Jersey shore, so crossing paths wasn't a rarity, especially as two athletes frequented the same gym.

"We worked out at the same place growing up because Amy played soccer and I played football," Pickett told PEOPLE. "We started training at this place when I was like 12 years old and Amy might have been 10, so I knew her growing up from there."

Their shared love of sports not only brought the two together but introduced them to an extended group of friends as well. "As we’ve both grown up in the sports world, especially more with Kenny with Pittsburgh and football, he’s acquired great friendships along the way, as have I," added Paternoster.

She played soccer at Princeton University

While Pickett and Paternoster were very young when they first met, the two reunited years later — but only after they went their separate ways for college, where they were both Division I athletes.

"We never talked and then she went off to Princeton and I went to Pitt. We came home on a college break and saw each other at a party and hit it off," Pickett told PEOPLE.

The NFL star played football at the University of Pittsburg, where he was a Heisman Trophy finalist as a senior and was later selected by the Steelers in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Paternoster played soccer at Princeton University, where she was awarded the Academic All-Ivy in 2021.

Prior to college, Paternoster saw several soccer successes. She was named Gatorade's New Jersey Girls Soccer Player of the Year, the first person in her town to receive the honor. In addition, she was an All-American selection by the United Soccer Coaches and was selected to the All-State First Team twice.

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She graduated with a degree in economics and finance

Paternoster graduated with honors from Princeton University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in economics and a certificate in finance. As a full-time college athlete, she balanced sports with her studies, having also held prestigious internships at the same time.

Prior to graduating, she interned in investment banking at Goldman Sachs and Fund of Funds Private Equity at Ardian. Now, Paternoster works full-time as a private equity associate at PNC Riverarch Capital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

She and Kenny wed in front of an NFL chaplain

In addition to family and friends, Paternoster wed Pickett in front of another special person in their lives: Steelers chaplain Kent Chevalier. Serving Pittsburgh since 1999, the NFL chaplain officiated the couple's nuptials.

After serving for 22 years as a pastor in the local church, Chevalier — a Pittsburgh native, who goes by Pastor Kent (PK) — was invited by the Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin, in 2019 to become the NFL Chaplain through the ministry of Athletes in Action.

Related: All About Bryce Young, the No. 1 Draft Pick in the 2023 NFL Draft

She's very supportive of Kenny, as he is to her

Since the couple began dating in 2021, they've had each other's backs. In addition to showing up for one another in person amid their respective busy schedules, they've shared their support for each other social media as well.

"ACC Coastal Championship, Senior Day, and my first time watching @kennypickett02 play in person!! I love celebrating you, always so proud 🥺💙" Paternoster wrote on Instagram in 2021. The heartfelt caption accompanied a sweet picture, featuring the former soccer player hugging Pickett on the football field.

Paternoster was also by her then-boyfriend's side when his name was called first by the Steelers on Draft Day in 2022. She penned a sweet tribute to Pickett, paired with pics from the moment they found out, following the big announcement.

"Words cannot describe how proud I am of you, nor how happy I am to see all of your dreams come true. There is nobody more deserving of this! I can’t wait to see all of the amazing things you have yet to accomplish. Let’s go home!!! 💛🖤 #steelernation #herewego" she wrote.

Pickett is never shy of posting his love and admiration for Paternoster on his social media, either.

"Happy Birthday to my favorite person in the world!! Extremely grateful for you every day and spending the rest of my life with you will be the greatest honor I could ask for…I love you!!❤️" he wrote on Instagram in celebration of his then-fiancée's special day in February 2023.

In January, he reflected on the one-year anniversary of their engagement. "Asked you to marry me a year ago today and every day has been better since !! A life time to go with my go to ❤️" Pickett sweetly penned to his now-wife.

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