February 13, 2022 was a big day for the Los Angeles Rams. Obviously, beating the Cincinnati Benglas 23-20 to claim its second title in team history was a monumental day for the Southern California franchise.
The championship also boosted the legacies of Matthew Stafford, Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp. Stafford, after spending 12 dismal seasons with the Detroit Lions, quarterbacked his team to a ring in just his first year in Los Angeles. His favorite target, Cooper Kupp, recorded perhaps the greatest season by a wide receiver in NFL history. With a Super Bowl ring, Donald cemented himself as one of, if not the, best defensive player of all time.
Of course, it was huge night for every Rams player's NFL career. However, it was a huge night in the personal lives of several players, too. Safety Taylor Rapp pulled a Carlos Correa and proposed to his girlfriend minutes after winning a championship. Odell Beckham Jr.'s girlfriend, who's pregnant with the couple's first child, was a notable storyline heading into the Super Bowl because she had the potential to go into labor at any second.
His teammate, fellow wide receiver Van Jefferson, beat him to the delivery room when his wife's water broke in the middle of the game.
Van Jefferson's Wife Goes Into Labor During Super Bowl
#TSRFamilyAffairz: Talk about being a winner! In addition to securing the 2022 Super Bowl win alongside his Los Angeles Rams? teammates, Van Jefferson welcomed his second child with wife Samaria. Congratulations to the beautiful couple! ?? #BlackLove pic.twitter.com/kFS5pmIn1E
— TheShadeRoom (@TheShadeRoom) February 14, 2022
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Even on the cusp of her due date, which was February 17th, Samaria Jefferson wasn't going to miss Super Bowl LVI for any reason.
"Just like any other game, I'm going to be there this Sunday and I'm going to stay calm ... and pray to God my water doesn't break," Samaria told The Athletic. "I am 100 percent going to be there. I would not miss this moment for anything. I will be 40 weeks pregnant at the Super Bowl, supporting my husband 100 percent."
Around the middle of the game, her intentions changed when she went into labor. However, she informed the Rams not to tell her husband so he could focus on the task at hand. Van and the Rams did their thing to win the Super Bowl, but he once he heard the news, he beelined out through the locker room with his dad and daughter after experiencing about five seconds of the Sunday night festivities.
Van Jefferson hustling out of the stadium to get to his wife in labor #SBLVI pic.twitter.com/0GDW0ceWLf
— NFL GameDay (@NFLGameDay) February 14, 2022
A couple of hours after winning football's biggest prize, Jefferson had another prize in his life: a baby boy. He took to Instagram Live after the whirlwind of a day to soak it all in.
"It was a great day, bro," the Rams receiver said. "I got three prizes today — my wife, my son and the Super Bowl." He also posted a photo of him holding his son on his Instagram story. As of last night, the Jeffersons haven't picked a name for their newborn son.
A second child is one of the many life moments Van and Samaria have experienced together. After all, they met at Ravenwood High School in Brentwood, Tennessee and have been a couple ever since. Van went on to play college football at Ole Miss, where he and Samaria had their first child, a daughter named Bella. He left Oxford after his sophomore season to finish his collegiate career at Florida. The Jefferson family moved west when Van was selected by the LA Rams in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
As evidenced by Samaria's social media, she takes a lot of pride in being a good mom and is a staple at Rams home games at SoFi Stadium along with Bella.
Now, Van Jefferson's fan club has a new member thrilled to cheer for his dad.
