Who Is Sophia Smith's Boyfriend? All About NFL Rookie Michael Wilson

Sophia Smith and Michael Wilson met as student-athletes at Stanford University

Sophia Smith has been dating her boyfriend and pro football player Michael Wilson since 2019.

The pair met as college athletes at Stanford University, where Smith was a starting player on the women’s soccer team, and Wilson was owning the position of wide receiver for the school’s football team.

Over the course of their years-long relationship, the couple has weathered several ups and downs. In 2020, Smith left Stanford to pursue a professional career playing in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). She signed with the Portland Thorns, which put her and Wilson in a long-distance relationship.

While Smith was celebrating a career-high, Wilson was facing a career low of his own. In 2020, he suffered a significant foot injury that kept him off the field for a year. However, he persevered and was the Arizona Cardinals’ third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

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Smith was by his side on draft day and posted a video of Wilson receiving the official call from the Cardinal’s athletic department on Instagram.

“You did it baby,” Smith captioned her tribute in honor of Wilson’s major achievement. “Through the highs and especially the lows, you never stopped doing everything right. it hasn’t been easy but it’s been worth it. I’m so proud of you ❤️."

The soccer star reached a big career milestone of her own: she joined the U.S. Women’s National Team at the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. On August 6, the American team lost to Sweden in Round of 16.

So, who is Sophia Smith’s boyfriend? Here’s everything to know about Michael Wilson and his relationship with the pro soccer player.

He played football at Stanford University

Wilson had a successful career as a wide receiver on Stanford University’s football team, but his experience as a collegiate athlete came with its fair share of challenges. After a very impressive rookie season in 2018, Wilson started the first 12 games of his sophomore season but was later forced to sit out the remainder of the season due to a serious foot injury. Despite his best efforts to recover, Wilson had to step away from the sport for a full year in order to successfully heal. He also missed the second half of this fifth year in 2022 due to a collarbone fracture, per ESPN.

Even with the injuries, Wilson was voted team captain during his final year with the team and was honored with the Jim Reynolds Award for his courage on and off the field. Over the course of his tenure, Wilson garnered 134 catches for 1,662 yards, of which led to 11 touchdowns. He was also a two-time All-Pac-12 honorable mention.

He got a master's degree from the university in communication and holds a bachelor’s degree in management science and engineering, according to his LinkedIn.

He was drafted to the NFL in 2023

Wilson’s dreams of becoming a professional football player became a reality when the Arizona Cardinals selected him in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He will be joining Arizona’s offensive team as a wide receiver, a position he excelled in while a student-athlete at Stanford University. Wilson shared the exciting news on Instagram alongside a phone call recording of general manager Monti Ossenfort officially welcoming him into the Arizona Cardinals family.

“I promise you guys just got the steal of the draft, thank you so much,” Wilson can be heard saying in between tears of excitement.

Related: 2023 NFL Draft: Everything to Know

The following month in May, Wilson signed his NFL contract and had his first press conference as an Arizona Cardinal. Fans got a look at Wilson repping the Cardinals emblem in a post shared on his Instagram.

“This is what makes it all worth it ✍🏽,” he captioned the photo carousel, adding the hashtag “blessings” at the end.

At Arizona, Wilson will be playing alongside tight end Zach Ertz, the husband of USWNT player Julie Ertz — who also happens to be Smith's teammate.

He and Smith started dating in January 2019

Wilson and Smith met while student-athletes at Stanford University. He was a promising freshman on the football team, and she was an all-star kicker leading the women’s soccer team. The pair made things official on Jan. 10, 2019, and Wilson penned a special note to Smith on their one-year anniversary in 2020.

“Life’s a blessing with you in it🖤,” Wilson captioned a selfie of he and Smith on Instagram. “I love you! Happy one year stud.”

He and Smith went Instagram official in February 2019

A semester into her freshman year at Stanford University, Smith made her relationship with Wilson Instagram official.

“Adventures in the city,” the soccer star captioned the post, which included a pair of photos of her and Wilson embracing one another in a hug while exploring San Francisco.

He and Smith are in a long-distance relationship

Smith played soccer at Stanford for two years before leaving college early to enter the 2020 NWSL Draft. In a heartfelt letter posted on Instagram, Smith explained that while her decision to leave Stanford and pursue a soccer career at the professional level was a “difficult” one, it was ultimately “a decision in which I followed my heart.”

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In the 2020 NWSL Draft, Smith was the overall first-round pick by the Portland Thorns — thus, taking her from Palo Alto, California, where she and Smith attended college, to Portland, Oregon. Since then, Smith has been living in Portland, while Wilson has remained in northern California to further his football career.

Following the 2023 NFL Draft, however, Smith will now be living in Arizona.

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