Russell Wilson says the love story between him and Ciara started long before they ever met — with prayer, intention, and a very specific list. 

Appearing on “Baby, This Is Keke Palmer,” the retired NFL quarterback reflected on the season of life he was in after divorce, when he thought he would be single single. “I had a whole plan. I’m going to the Super Bowl,” Wilson said, adding that he expected to stay single “for about 10 years.” Instead, that plan shifted after a conversation with his pastor led him to write down what he wanted in a partner and pray over it. Three days later, he met Ciara. 

Wilson said he narrowed that list to his “five non-negotiables,” which included faith, loyalty, independence, compassion, and a presence that could command a room. He also recalled how confidently he spoke Ciara’s name before they ever crossed paths, saying that when someone asked who he saw himself with, he answered, “Ciara.” In the same story, he laughed off the doubt around that answer, saying, “She ain’t met me yet.” 

Ciara was also on the podcast and, for her part, used the conversation to reflect on what Wilson has meant in her life. “I do feel holistically like a better woman because of him,” she said. “The way that he loves me and speaks life into me.”

She said Wilson deepens her confidence. The couple also discussed raising their four children, building businesses together, and moving through public scrutiny as a unit.