Ryan Wood and Tom Silverstein prepare the Packers’ pregame walkthrough
Sports reporters Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press Gazette and Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel watch the Packers’ pregame walkthrough
In his first season as quarterback for the Green Bay Packers in 2023, there was a lot of pressure on Jordan Love.
He replaced Aaron Rodgers and was put in charge of the franchise after three years as an alternate, but for him that was nothing compared to the pressure he faced in Italy this summer: perfecting his marriage proposal to his longtime girlfriend Ronika Stone.
But just like his game during the season, the marriage proposal – despite some nervousness – couldn’t have gone better.
In an interview before the Packers’ season-opening game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Love spoke with NBC sports reporter Maria Taylor, who asked which event was more nerve-wracking: the game at Lambeau Field or proposing to Stone?
“I would say proposing to her,” Love said, smiling. “That was intense. Now I’m ready for the season. I’m ready.”
Love was surprised by Stone in the middle of a tense interview overlooking Lambeau Field. Parts of the interview will be shown on Friday night’s pregame show on Peacock.
Here’s more about Love, Stone and his epic marriage proposal.
How did Jordan Love and Ronika Stone meet?
Love and Stone’s relationship began by chance through a series of FaceTimes that weren’t even meant for each other.
Love happened to share a room with one of Stone’s best friends from high school, Mo Walker, at Utah State University. Love and Walker were teammates on the Aggies football team.
Stone, meanwhile, was in Eugene, Oregon, playing Division I volleyball for the Ducks. She often called her old friend to talk. Love was always in the background. The two looked into each other’s eyes.
“It started slowly,” Love recalled. “I picked up the phone and we started having one-on-one conversations.”
Relationship between Jordan Love and Ronika Stone: The Packers quarterback quickly moved
The discussions eventually led to a meeting.
Love was training at home in Bakersfield, California, and Stone was also in the state for a birthday party, but about an hour away.
The two came into contact and, as Love says, “The rest is history.”
In fact, Love knew immediately that what he had with Stone was something special.
“Ten days,” Love said, wasting no time in asking Stone if she wanted to be his girlfriend. “I was moving fast. That’s how you can tell, because I never move that fast.”
At first, Stone wasn’t sure if Love would come to the party. She thought, “He won’t drive an hour, but he did.”
And Love has achieved another important benchmark: He was honest about his height. Stone, a professional volleyball player, is 6’2″. In the past, Stone said, she has experienced men who have lied about their height. Love is 6’4″.
“I told him he better not cheat on me,” Stone said of his height. But “he passed the height test.”
Jordan Love’s ethnic work motivates Ronika Stone
Love and Stone have been together for four years, meaning Stone has witnessed Love’s evolution from backup quarterback to now the highest-paid player in NFL history.
“I used to go to games and sit down there in the stands freezing (he pointed to Lambeau Field) and just watch to see if he would turn around on the bench because he didn’t have time to look him in the eye,” Stone said.
Then there was Love’s first start of 2021, when Rodgers was out with COVID-19. The world met Stone, sitting in the back row at Arrowhead Stadium with Love’s mother. “It wasn’t as bad as everyone says,” Stone reiterates.
Stone is a passionate defender of Love on social media and is not afraid to challenge critics through good times and bad.
But now Love is the undisputed leader. “It’s been incredible to see him step up and take over the team. And to be there in the offseason and see him really putting in the effort, really trying and fighting, is remarkable. It motivates me to work even harder in my sport.”
Stone, who had an All-American college career at Oregon before moving overseas, was instrumental in the successful launch of the Pro Volleyball Federation in the United States in 2024.
She led her team, the San Diego Mojo, to the playoffs in her first season.
Love Stone: Packers QB knows which wide receiver he would trust with his wedding rings in funny interview with Kay Adams of FanDuel TV
Jordan Love’s marriage proposal to Ronika Stone
About a month after Stone’s season ended, the couple vacationed in Florence, Italy. Museums. Fine food. Immaculately beautiful sights. It was the perfect setting for a dream proposal.
Love proposed in Tuscany, in the province of Siena, at Castello di Celsa, a 13th-century castle that offers breathtaking views. Love worked with a wedding planner on all the details.
“I was nervous about what I was going to say. I just wanted to freestyle,” Love said. “It was amazing. It was a moment I’ll never forget.”
Love said the biggest obstacles were getting to the right place to propose and hiding the ring. But when Love brought his messenger bag and told Stone they were an hour away for dinner, Stone began to suspect she might get a proposal.
Her feelings didn’t change.
“When it happened… I cried,” Stone recalled.
Afterwards, the couple was given a tour of the castle and a candlelight dinner at the top of the castle.
“He did his thing,” Stone said appreciatively.
