Most people see Ciara and Russell Wilson as one of America’s most unexpected yet ideal couples. Cici, a pop star with chart-topping hits and model-like beauty, is often characterized as the Janet Jackson of her generation.
Meanwhile, Wilson, the clean-cut NFL star, has maintained a pristine image throughout his career.
On a recent episode of “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” Ciara shared that she knew he was “the one” after their first hangout. However, it wasn’t until he met her son, Future, and her father that she truly fell head over heels for him.
In her conversation with Kelly, Ciara recalled a heartwarming story that solidified her feelings for Russell.
She described a moment at her house, saying, “Future was crawling on the floor, and there was a silver chair in the kitchen that was about to fall. He [Wilson] legit slid across that kitchen so smooth and caught that chair, and I was like, ‘Oh, OK!’ I mean, it looked pretty sexy, but it was really cute.”
Ciara, who came as a package deal with her son, explained that Russell met her, little Future and her dad at the same time. Yet, he’s been hands-on from the very beginning.
“He just always has been, since day one, one to jump in and be about that life—goes to the parent-teacher conferences,” she said. “He’s into every detail, making sure the sports and the gymnastics, everything is lined up.”
Ciara and Wilson first met in March 2015 at a Wisconsin basketball game, just months before her 30th birthday.
Also in the interview, Ciara shared that their first date was so engaging they “totally forgot to eat.” After exchanging stories, the two called each other “the one” to their friends, lighting the spark of something special.
“He told his friend on the elevator going down, ‘She’s the one,’” she reflected. “And I called my best friend, Yoli [Yolonda Frederick] and said, ‘I don’t want to jinx anything, but I think …’ and she goes, ‘He’s the one,’ and I go, ‘Yes.’ When you know, you know.”
For Wilson, his role as a father figure to Little Future was divinely guided after tying the knot with his wife in 2016.
In February 2024, the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback shared that shortly after meeting the “Goodies” singer, God told him to take care of her son as if he were his own.
On Brandon Marshall’s “I Am Athlete” podcast, Wilson likened his role as a stepfather to Joseph’s role in parenting Jesus, recalling the first time he met Future, “I remember leaving that night and God saying, ‘This child is going to be your responsibility.
The NFL star even asked, “You sure this is what you want me to do?” and God purportedly answered, “Son, this is for you.”
“Not scary but it was more so an opportunity,” Wilson continued. “Like, ‘OK, God, this is what you want me to do. You know, stepping in to raise a child with Ci.’”
After breaking off her engagement with her oldest son’s father, rapper Future, Ciara’s outlook on relationships shifted. She said, her “taste buds changed” regarding men.
In a 2023 interview on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, she confessed to host Alex Cooper that she “overlooked” a few “red flags” during her and Future’s toxic relationship.
“You ain’t gonna waste my life,” said Ciara. And from the looks of it, she found exactly that in Russell.
“Me and Russ always talk about being equally yoked. For us, from day one, it was a healthy place,” she explained, “and I thank God because we always saw a lot of things the same way, and I think that’s more than half the battle when you’re kind of aligned.”
John 4:19
We love because He first loved us. @Ciara pic.twitter.com/kV7s1Yzx3Z— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) September 20, 2024
Now, the couple shares three children: Sienna Princess Wilson, 7; Win Harrison Wilson, 4; and Amora Princess Wilson, nearly 1. Future, now 10, is no longer the toddler crawling on the ground but a big brother with a close bond to his stepfather.
So close, in fact, that sometimes Future’s biological father appears envious of the nurturing bond Future shares with his mom and stepfather.
On social media, Wilson often posts about his love for his stepson, showing his involvement in Future’s sports activities and sharing heartfelt messages.
Ciara’s fairy tale seems complete, with Russell’s commitment to her and her son confirming that he truly is “the one.”
The two are living their happily ever after.