No one does game days quite like Emily Wilkinson.
The wife of Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield regularly shares photos of fans sporting their No. 6 jerseys on Instagram, in addition to posting shots of herself in brown and orange.
“Dawg check,” Emily, 29, captioned one post from early October.
Married since July 2019, the Mayfields have quickly become an NFL power couple, showcasing their love off the field in unique ways.
Emily is Baker’s favorite co-star
Last summer, Progressive Insurance signed the Mayfields to an endorsement deal, with the couple appearing in commercials filmed “at home,” Cleveland’s FirstEnergy Stadium.
In the TV spots, the two are seen hanging around “their house,” with the 25-year-old quarterback even attempting to cook a Thanksgiving feast from the stadium’s concession stand.
“Hey, everybody’s getting kind of hungry, how much longer on the turkey,” Emily asks in the clip.
When her hubby responds, “I’d say about 15 to 20,” Emily’s mouth drops as he raises the bird from a fryer.
Baker had to convince Emily he wasn’t a ‘playboy athlete’
Emily said she was anxious about getting involved with a “punk football star,” who would later become her husband, when they were introduced by a mutual friend in 2017.
“I was assuming he’d be the typical playboy athlete,” she told ESPN in 2019.
Things clearly changed as the two went on a date prior to the 2018 Rose Bowl and then announced their engagement in July 2018.
“Can’t wait to do life with the most perfect girl. Emily Wilkinson, I love you,” the football star posted to Instagram at the time.
They tied the knot in front of NFL superstars
For their summer 2019 nuptials at Calamigos Ranch in Malibu, the Mayfields made sure the guest list included a few notable names.
Not only did Giants running back Saquon Barkley score an invite, but teammate Sterling Shepard, a wide receiver, attended the bash with his wife, supermodel Chanel Iman.
“Life of the Party @annacongdon @saquon @sterlingshepard @paristownsend @luhdee5 Congratulations @bakermayfield @ewilkinson,” Iman posted to Instagram in July 2019.
In an interview with Brides, Emily said the couple “created a few different styles to mix” up the decor with the tables to accommodate their 350 guests.
The Mayfields have an awesome vacation crew
Like other NFL power pairs, the Mayfields also enjoy their offseasons together.
In January, the pair enjoyed a couple’s trip to Antigua and Barbuda with Iman and Shepard, Browns receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and his girlfriend Lauren Wood, and other friends.
“So grateful to have some of the most down to earth, fun, easy going people in my life. Thankful to be able to share life long memories together. I truly value our friendship and look forward to the next trip,” Iman posted to Instagram at the time.
Emily is her hubby’s biggest supporter
The Mayfield era in Cleveland hasn’t been without a few bumps in the road.
Drafted first overall in 2018, he got off to a hot start in his first year with the Browns, finishing with 27 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Last year, however, the quarterback endured a rocky sophomore season and became the subject of scrutiny.
Following a November 2019 win against the Buffalo Bills, Emily called out “fair-weather fans” for hopping on the Browns’ bandwagon.
“Fair weather fans are HILARIOUS to me. Get out of here lol,” she posted to social media at the time.
Emily later clarified her remarks, noting she was chiding the “idiots who say HORRIBLE things about my husband.”
“LOL didn’t expect to ruffle so many feathers with my ‘fair weather fans’ comment yesterday,” Emily wrote. “No, I was not directing that at the die-hard, loyal fans who have stuck around for YEARS. I’m talking about the idiots who say HORRIBLE things about my husband and the team when we lose, and are back to obsessing when we win. That is laughable to me.”
The Browns finished the 2019 season with a 6-10 record, resulting in the firing of first-year head coach Freddie Kitchens. The team hired Kevin Stefanski to be its new head coach in January.
Last month, Emily also responded to a fan’s post highlighting her husband’s turbulent tenure in Cleveland. She later shared a lengthy post cautioning fans to think twice before trashing a player.
“Before critics and fans jump to conclusions after an injury, loss, etc. they should put themselves in the athletes’ shoes… but let’s be honest, they never could because they aren’t part of the 1.6%, the best in the world,” the post read, to which Emily wrote, “Retweet.”