Washington Commanders safety Jeremy Reaves was able to celebrate two big accomplishments on the field Sunday night, proposing to his longtime girlfriend Mikaela Worley after he and his teammates beat Atlanta in overtime to secure a spot in the playoffs.
“I hate losing, so there’s no way I could have done it in the right spirit after a loss,” Reaves said. “That thing was burning a hole in my pocket.”
Reaves considered doing so last week, but ultimately decided to take the step after notifying Worley’s family on Friday.
“If we win this game, it’s destiny,” Reaves said. “She’s earned it. I can’t say enough about her. When I was at my lowest point last year, she was there to pick me up every day. She showed up. That’s my best friend. She’s been my best friend since secondary. “
Worley was present Sunday night at Northwest Stadium and joined Reaves and his teammates on the field to celebrate the victory when the 28-year-old defensive back took a knee and popped the question.
Reaves posted after the game on X that he was “Glad I got to share that moment with the best fans in the world!”
Reaves underwent surgery to repair a partially torn ACL in October 2023, ending that season. He was named an NFL All-Pro as a special teams player in the 2021 season after finally landing a full-time job in the league, but last year’s injury once again put his career in jeopardy.
“You can tell a lot about someone when they’re going through the worst and how they handle it,” Reaves said. “Last year I was going through the worst after an ACL. [tear]. “I couldn’t do anything, I couldn’t be my own man and she was the crutch when I couldn’t do it for myself.”
Reaves is one of the few Washington players remaining from the organization’s most recent playoff game in the 2020 season.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
