Growing up with your future partner is a rare and special experience—and former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson is one of the few who lived it. Nelson and his wife, Emily, were raised just three miles apart in rural Kansas. “I’ve known my wife my whole life. We grew up together, went to kindergarten together, all the way through,” Nelson shared during a past interview on The Dan Le Batard Show. “We grew up three miles apart, which is not very far when you grow up out in the country in Kansas.”

Jordy Nelson, inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 2023, spent 10 seasons with the team and one with the Oakland Raiders (2008–2018). His Super Bowl XLV title, Pro Bowl nods, and NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors in 2016 are all part of a storied career—one he openly credits to the support of his wife, Emily.

Who is Emily Nelson?

Emily Nelson, like her husband, is Kansas-born and raised. She attended Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas, where she played collegiate basketball. Speaking with Bethel College Alumni Magazine, Emily said, “I was being recruited to play, and I knew basketball was something I wanted to pursue.” After visiting the campus and meeting the professors and team, “It was an easy decision for me to choose Bethel as my college home,” she added.

Emily studied Early Childhood Education and even attended a Kindergarten Lab on campus—though it opened in 2016 after she had graduated. Following college, she worked as a teacher for one year before stepping away from the profession due to Jordy’s NFL commitments in Green Bay, Wisconsin. “Because of my husband’s job, I’m blessed to be able to stay home with my kids and just be a mom,” she told Alumni Magazine. “We joke that I got to retire at the ripe old age of 23.”

Beyond her role as a full-time mother, Emily remains active in philanthropy. Alongside Jordy, she co-manages the Nelson Family Community Foundation, which raises funds to support families in need in their hometown of Leonardville, Kansas. She is also involved with Young Life Green Bay, a Christian ministry aimed at mentoring youth, and serves on the Packers Women’s Association. Additionally, Emily supports cancer awareness efforts through her involvement with the Breast Cancer Family Foundation (BCFF), where she promotes healthy living to reduce cancer risk.

From church volunteer work to community outreach, Emily has consistently contributed to worthy causes while balancing her family life.

When Emily and Jordy Nelson started their relationship and how many kids do they have?

The Nelsons’ love story dates back to childhood. According to Fox Sports, the two began dating in sixth grade, though Emily ended things briefly in seventh. “We dated and then she dumped me,” Jordy joked during a 2016 interview. “Why I went back, I don’t know… It was the end of the school year, and apparently, she didn’t want to be tied down to one guy in seventh grade during the summer.”

The couple rekindled their relationship in high school and stayed together through college. Jordy later proposed to Emily during a romantic trip to Cancun, Mexico. The couple tied the knot in 2002 and have been together ever since.

Jordy and Emily Nelson are parents to three children. Their first son, Royal, was born naturally. However, after facing challenges in conceiving again, the couple chose to pursue adoption. “Our first son—I got pregnant with him very easily,” Emily told Fox 11 News. “After he was born, we decided to have more. It wasn’t as easy for whatever reason. But we knew we wanted more kids. Adoption was a better fit for us than any sort of fertility route.”

In 2015, the Nelsons adopted their second son, Brooks. Two years later, in 2017, they became foster parents to a baby girl, Adda Jo. While Emily has expressed openness to more children, Jordy has said he feels their family is complete.

From childhood sweethearts in rural Kansas to NFL stardom and a grounded family life, Jordy and Emily Nelson’s journey reflects partnership, faith, and community at its core. Emily’s quiet yet influential presence continues to shape the life of one of Green Bay’s most beloved former stars.