The Washington Commanders secured a playoff spot on Sunday night, but for one player, the night held an even bigger win.
Shortly after the team's thrilling 30-24 overtime victory against the Atlanta Falcons, safety Jeremy Reaves seized the moment. Breaking from the usual post-game routine, he dropped to one knee and proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Mikaela Worley, making the night unforgettable both on and off the field.
Although Jeremy Reaves dropped to one knee out of bounds, his question was anything but uncertain—and it earned an immediate "yes" from his now-fiancée, Mikaela Worley. For a team accustomed to name changes in recent years, Worley may soon embrace a new title of her own.
Reaves’ teammates quickly joined the celebration, sharing in the couple's joy.
The 28-year-old safety had planned to propose sooner, but the Atlanta Falcons’ late-game rally forced overtime, delaying the big moment. Reaves admitted he wouldn’t have gone through with the proposal had the Commanders lost.
“I hate losing, so there’s no way I could have done that in the right spirit after a loss,” Reaves told the Associated Press. “That ring was burning a hole in my pocket.”
Reaves, who joined the Commanders as an undrafted free agent in 2018, has faced his share of challenges, and Worley has been by his side through it all. The two have been inseparable since their high school days in Pensacola, Florida.
“If we win this game, it’s destiny,” Reaves said. “She’s earned it. I can’t say enough about her. When I was at my lowest last year, she was there to pick me up every day. She showed up. That’s my best friend. Been my best friend since high school.”
Reaves’ 2023 season came to an early end after he tore his ACL in October, but he credits Worley for helping him through the tough times.
“You can tell a lot about somebody when they’re going through their worst moments and how they handle it,” Reaves said. “She was my crutch through all of it.”
Worley, also a Pensacola native, is the youngest of three siblings and a former volleyball player at the University of Louisiana Monroe. She now works as a physician assistant in Virginia, supporting Reaves just as she has since their days at Milton High School.
As the Commanders gear up to finish their regular season at home against Dallas, they’ll be looking to lock in the No. 6 seed in the NFC playoffs. With their postseason aspirations ahead, Reaves and the team hope to keep the celebrations going both on and off the field.
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