A good, and a bad year as well for Antonio Pierce? The 2023 season took an unexpected turn for the former interim coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. Following the dismissal of head coach Josh McDaniels, Pierce was promoted to the position in January–a good phase for the 45-year-old. But wait! He never knew a critical phase would come into his life.

After his promotion, fans naturally assumed that Pierce received a pay raise with it. While his latest salary increase hasn’t been disclosed, speculation puts his net worth around $25 million. Yet, Pierce and his wife found themselves on the brink of bankruptcy just five months later despite pulling in cash. This tough phase for the couple drew significant attention from the NFL community.

Now, fans are eager to learn more about Pierce’s wife and the circumstances that led to their financial troubles!

Who is Antonio Pierce’s wife?

Usually, we hear about some NFL players or coaches falling in love with their partners during their high school or college years. But, for coach Antonio Pierce and his beloved wife, Jocelyn Pierce, their story is different. Yet, their relationship began through football! How? The two met at a football event.

Their love story started in August 2006 when they collided at the ESPN Fantasy Football Draft event. At that time, the coach served as a linebacker for the New York Giants, while Antonio’s wife, Jocelyn, was modeling for the Draft event. However, it doesn’t mean she is only a model.

Beyond being Antonio’s wife and a model, Jocelyn has her own identity, especially in the football world. She also worked as a reporter for FOX Sports and NFL Network after graduating from “Central Connecticut State University with a degree in communications.” In addition, she has worked for films like “Who Killed Soul Glow? (2012) and Model Latina (2008).” Besides being an actress, Mrs. Pierce currently works as a Realtor in eXp Realty, a real estate company serving in California, Arizona, and Nevada.

The interesting phase of her and her husband’s life came when the two met and fell in love with each other. And their romance quickly blossomed in the following years, which led to that “special” day – ‘The Proposal Day.’

In February 2007, Antonio booked a cafe and planned a surprise with the Cafe’s manager, for his then-girlfriend, Jocelyn. The cafe he chose was–Brooklyn’s The River Café. His proposal wasn’t just photoshoots and surprises, it was creative too. He placed an engagement ring atop the cake Antonio selected for the proposal. In addition to that, rose petals surrounded the proposal cake, making it even more fascinating. All the preparations by Antonio and the cafe created a perfect moment for the lady of the hour! And she said ‘Yes!’

Then, taking a step forward in their relationship, the couple got married to each other at the private Hoku Lani estate on May 24, 2008. Around sixty of their closest family and friends joined the private destination wedding. Now, it has been 18 years since the couple got together. They now share seven children–De’Andre Pierce, Anthony Pierce, Jayla Pierce, Ava Pierce, Antonio Pierce Jr., Carmelo Pierce, and Mary Pierce, often seen spending family time in the offseason.

Although they are a blessed and happy family of nine, the two recently faced financial struggles probably disturbing Jocelyn, as she filed for bankruptcy in June.

What was the bankruptcy case?

On June 12, 2024, Antonio Pierce’s wife, Jocelyn Pierce, filed for bankruptcy in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Arizona. Notably, Antonio had invested in car dealerships that defaulted on their loans, leading to a staggering debt of over $28 million. Imagine facing such a colossal debt!

Antonio was a guarantor of these loans, with $23 million owed to Nissan Motor Acceptance Corporation and $4.5 million to Hyundai Capital America. The lenders were relentless, trying to collect this debt from the couple’s assets and even attempting to garnish Antonio’s wages. Jocelyn, determined to protect her family’s assets, claimed she did not personally guarantee the loans and sought relief through the bankruptcy filing.

The court recognized the urgency of their situation and granted her more time to submit the necessary documents. This filing has temporarily paused the legal process, giving the couple a much-needed chance to reassess and manage their financial turmoil. The situation is dire, but they’re fighting to find a way through it together.