Meet Connie Kerrin Dawkins, wife of NFL star Brian Dawkins. Connie and Brian met in high school. The couple married in July, 2009 at the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida.
In an interview with SI’s Ben Reiter, Brian talked about how he met his wife Connie. Brian says,
“I FIRST LAID EYES on Connie in junior high. We lived in the same area of Jacksonville. I went to Highlands Junior High, she went to Ribault, and our schools played each other. I played basketball, and she was a cheerleader. But it wasn’t until we both got to Raines High that I saw her daily. There was a certain hallway that she had to use to get to class, and I would go completely out of my way every day to get over there and try to make eye contact with her. I’d walk past her, and then have to sprint to my class to make it right before the bell. One of my friends–Maurice Huntley–knew I was never going to go up to try to talk to her, so he took it upon himself to tell her I wanted to meet her. He didn’t tell me until afterward. I was like, “Why’d you do that? Why’d you do that?” Then I said, “What did she say?”
Connie and I met and talked for a while in a courtyard outside the guidance counselor’s room at Raines. I was doing the shy brother routine: I pretended I was shy with her. We started dating right after that. We were in 10th grade–she was a majorette for the football team, and I played defensive back. We were real mushy back then, always around each other; if I wasn’t at practice, I was with Connie.
I went to college at Clemson, and she transferred there my second year, after one year at Jacksonville University. The night before going back to school our junior year, I asked her to marry me. Her grandfather gave us $100-$59 for my ring and $41 for hers–and we eloped. We went to the justice of the peace. We still have those rings, in a safe.”
In early 2007, the couple gave birth to twin daughters. Both daughters were born two months premature, but are currently healthy. Connie and Brian also have two other older children, as son and daughter.
Brian Dawkins currently plays for the NFL Denver Broncos. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft. Dawkins is An eight-time Pro Bowl selection.
On February 28, 2009, Dawkins signed a five-year, $17 million contract with the Denver Broncos. The contract includes $7.2 million guaranteed and a termination clause that says Dawkins can opt out of the contract after two years and receive an extra $1.8 million, virtually making the contract for two years and $9 million. Dawkins can also earn an additional $10 million in performance incentives
1st Photo Source: Sportsillustrated
2nd/3rd Photo Source: NFL.com
4th Photo Source: SI.com
