Sam Darnold’s Fiancée, Katie Hoofnagle, Is Key To His Success

It may not be a coincidence that Sam Darnold’s most successful NFL season started roughly a month after getting engaged to his fiancée, Katie Hoofnagle. The Seattle Seahawks quarterback is set to appear as a starter in the Super Bowl for the first time on Feb. 8, and in his opening night press conference on Feb. 2, he credited his partner with helping him keep his peace during the season.

“She does a lot for me and she keeps me calm,” Darnold told the media. “She reminds me of why I do what I do, why I go to work every single day. … Sometimes the season can get long, but she makes it all the [more] worthwhile.”

Hoofnagle might be famous for her role as Darnold’s biggest supporter, but she has a career of her own. Here’s what to know about Hoofnagle’s job, their relationship and engagement, and more.

She Has Carolina & California Ties

Hoofnagle hails from the San Francisco Bay Area and moved across the country to attend college at the University of South Carolina. She graduated in 2020, having majored in marketing and minored in nutrition and food systems, according to her LinkedIn. Then, she moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, “on a whim,” as she put it in a 2023 post, and got a job at Loan Pronto, where she eventually became a mortgage loan officer.

Before Darnold started playing for the Seahawks, he had stints with the New York Jets, the Carolina Panthers, the San Francisco 49ers, and the Minnesota Vikings. He happened to live in Charlotte during Hoofnagle’s time there, playing for the Panthers during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. However, the couple went public with their relationship in 2023, when Darnold had moved to the Bay Area to play for the 49ers.

Darnold noted in his pre-Super Bowl press conference that they were dating long distance for part of their relationship. “We’ve been through a lot together in the last few years,” he said.

Hoofnagle now works as a marketing specialist for the company Renvio, and she and Darnold both live in the Seattle area.

She’s An Athlete, Too

Hoofnagle played soccer through college on the University of South Carolina’s women’s club team. Darnold called her support “unbelievable” in a March 2025 Us Weekly interview and explained that “she just understands it” because of her athletic background.

“She’s a former athlete herself, and just gets kind of the grind of everything,” he said. “When I just want to chill, she’s very up for that, especially during the season.”

The Engagement Was Her “Best Day Ever”

Darnold and Hoofnagle got engaged after a stunning oceanside proposal in Dana Point, California, in July 2025. They shared the photos on Instagram July 7, alongside her caption, “YES!!!!!” Later, she posted another set of images, this time writing, “a couple more from the best day ever … here’s to forever together.”

She Wants That Super Bowl Win

When Darnold and the Seahawks won the NFC Conference Championship and earned a berth to Super Bowl LX, she made it clear that she wants to see the team lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy at the end. Posting photos on Instagram on Jan. 26, she wrote, “WE’RE NOT DONE YET!!!”