Love can really throw you for a loop, right? Just take Tia Jones and her fiance, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy. Tia, who’s an amazing track and field athlete, recently matched the world record for the 60m hurdles at the USATF Indoor Championships, running it in 7.67 seconds—just like Bahamian athlete Devynne Charlton. How cool is that? Their love story is pretty wild, especially since it all started with a missed Instagram DM that turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

The couple got engaged in July this year. Since then, Tia has been right there cheering on Xavier during his NFL debut just two months later. But how did their love story start? Well, Tia recently spilled the beans about their relationship on “The Pregame Podcast with Tokyo and Sydnee.” She shared some laughs about how their story kicked off in such a funny way, and it really has that “made for each other” vibe where fate threw them a curveball.

Swipe right to serendipity

Tia Jones’s story of how she and Xavier, her partner, met is both humorous and serendipitous. She recalls how he slid into her DMs before but didn’t get a response from her. “You know how it is with Instagram—swipe in, swipe out,” she laughs, explaining how easy it is for messages to get lost in the mix. Fast forward a bit, and Tia moved to Texas to train with her coach Buford-Bailey for track and field. Coincidentally, he was attending the University of Texas at the time.

One evening, Tia Jones was running late for a friend’s dinner and feeling stressed because nothing was going right. “I’m talking about makeup wasn’t coming together, hair wasn’t coming together; it was just one of those moments—it was just horrible,” she explains. As she was driving, two cars jumped in front of her, cutting her off, and as luck would have it, it was Xavier Worthy and his friends. They both ended up at the same valet, and Tia was in such a rush to get her keys that she wanted to say something playful, like, “You need to slow down.” But when she saw him get out of the car, she panicked and ran back to her vehicle instead, realizing, “I know who that is!” Well, as it turned out, he had been looking for her too.

They chatted, and he casually asked her out on a date. Tia emphasizes how divine timing played a role in their meeting, saying, “That’s why God had me late to that dinner ‘cause I met my man.” It was such a random encounter, as he wasn’t even there for dinner—just picking up some food after a game. Their connection blossomed from that moment, and Tia concludes, “We’re friends in love.” Well, you know the universe has a way of bringing people together when you least expect it! However, when did their love story start?

Tia Jones supported Xavier Worthy every step of the way in their epic love story!

In the 2024 NFL Draft, at No. 28 pick, for the Kansas City Chiefs was Xavier Worthy, who created quite a buzz by running a 40-yard dash in 4.21 seconds during the NFL Combine event. His fiancee, Tia Jones, was quick to show her support for his achievements on Instagram. “Welcome to the Chiefs kingdom ❤️. #chiefs #nfldraft #worthy,” she captioned a series of photos that celebrated this exciting new chapter in his life. However, it’s unknown when their love story started.

Fast forward to July 2024, and the couple was sharing some big news. They announced on Instagram, “We are homeowners 🏡🔑,” expressing their joy at taking this major step together. Just a week later, Worthy made it even more special by proposing to Jones on the beach, dropping to one knee in front of a stunning red flower arch with a “Marry Me” sign lit up behind them. Talk about a picture-perfect moment! They also had fun rocking custom sweatshirts featuring each other’s faces—Worthy’s hoodie showed Jones’ track and field career, while her sweatshirt celebrated his football highs.

As the NFL season kicked off, Jones couldn’t contain her excitement for her fiancé’s accomplishments. After Worthy scored his first touchdown in his NFL debut on September 5, she shared her pride with the world: “Zay’s first real NFL touchdown 🏈 First TD of the game!” It was a proud moment for both of them, and to top it off, the city of Fresno even declared August 29 as “Xavier Worthy Day” to honor his roots. With both of them shining in their respective sports, it’s clear that this couple is all about supporting each other while making unforgettable memories along the way.