Brittany Mahomes and NFL's Leading Ladies Grace the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover with a WAG Message

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit has unveiled its February 2026 digital cover, showcasing a powerful lineup of NFL wives and girlfriends, including Brittany Mahomes, Normani, Haley Cavinder, Ronika Love, Claire Kittle, and Christen Goff.

These women, each a notable figure in her own right, donned striking black swimsuits against the backdrop of the South Seas resort in Fort Myers, Florida. The cover comes just days before the Super Bowl 2026 showdown between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots.

“We drafted our ‘SI Swimsuit Digital Cover Stars’ and the results are in,” the magazine announced, accompanied by a video where the women introduced themselves. Brittany Mahomes, who is married to Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, described herself as “mom of three” while highlighting her journey from professional soccer to certified personal trainer.

Normani, engaged to Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf, confidently stated, “10 times platinum, no school needed.” Meanwhile, Haley Cavinder, a former Miami Hurricanes guard set to marry Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson this summer, chimed in with “straight from the U.”

Claire Kittle, wife of 49ers star George Kittle, humorously referenced her husband’s tight end program with “fifth-year senior, Tight End University.” Ronika Love, married to Packers quarterback Jordan Love, playfully dubbed herself “certified lover girl University.”

This marks Goff's seventh appearance in SI Swimsuit, while Mahomes returns for her second time after being named a rookie in 2024. Cavinder made a statement in a cowboy hat for this shoot after previously walking in the 2024 SI Swimsuit runway show alongside her twin sister, Hanna.

The women shared their thoughts on the term WAG—widely recognized as an acronym for wives and girlfriends of professional athletes—emphasizing the need for a redefinition. “Being the significant other to an NFL player is an incredibly hard role,” Mahomes noted. “We take on a lot of important stuff behind the scenes that people don’t get to see.”

Goff added, “The word WAG has gotten such a bad rap over the years. Many women are changing that narrative and doing great things in their communities and their own brands.” She expressed excitement about collaborating with fellow NFL partners for this cover shoot.

Ronika Love shared her struggles with being labeled solely as a WAG rather than an athlete herself. “It was hard for me to never be referred to as an athlete,” she said. “I’m super competitive. They immediately put women into these boxes of just being the plus one.” Expecting a baby girl this spring, she reflected on her journey and aspirations.

Cavinder discussed her transition from basketball to brand-building after retiring from the sport. “You can support someone and be their number one fan but also stay true to yourself and chase your dreams—that’s what WAG means to me,” she explained.

Kittle expressed her joy at being featured in SI after her husband graced its cover during his college days. “In college, my husband was on the cover of Sports Illustrated for football. So now, I get to have one too,” she said.

She concluded with a powerful message about representation: “At the end of the day, [WAG] is just a shortened word to describe a group of people. I think all of us do a good job representing ourselves and our husbands while also representing the NFL.”