With training camps still weeks away, Emeka Egbuka used the NFL’s quiet stretch for a different kind of milestone. The former Ohio State national champion and first-round pick got married earlier this month in his home state of Ohio.

On July 3rd, Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ first-round WR Emeka Egbuka officially tied the knot with his long-time partner, Laney Matriano. He posted it earlier today on social media. The gorgeous ceremony took place in North Lawrence, Ohio. The guest list included family and several NFL teammates who flew in to celebrate during the quietest stretch of the football offseason.

A few weeks ago at minicamp, he joked to reporters that the clock was ticking on his bachelor days. They met in the summer of 2024 through mutual friends. Matriano was a senior on the Notre Dame women’s soccer team, while Egbuka was at Ohio State in Columbus. They managed the five-hour distance between South Bend and Columbus with late-night calls and weekend visits.

After Egbuka moved to Tampa for the NFL and Matriano finished her final classes in South Bend, they kept the relationship going with frequent trips between Florida and Ohio.

Matriano officially graduated from Notre Dame at the end of last year and planned to play soccer professionally overseas. Egbuka, though, had a different plan in mind. Within a month of her graduation, the 19th overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft surprised her with a candle-lit beach proposal in Florida. He proposed just hours before flying out for the Buccaneers’ Week 18 game.

Their joint Instagram post read: “Everything we prayed for and more,” citing Mark 10:9. It went up hours before Emeka’s Week 18 game, turning a career milestone into a personal one.

On the wedding day in Ohio, the couple focused on making the celebration memorable for their guests. Alongside classic ceremony photos in front of a rustic wooden cross, they added a casino-style craps table at the reception for guests to enjoy. Egbuka later posted a picture of himself and his groomsmen rolling dice and celebrating.

What a year for Emeka Egbuka!

The wedding caps an eventful calendar year for Egbuka, mixing a breakout rookie season with a major personal milestone. On top of marrying his best friend, he is coming off a strong rookie season with 62 catches, 930 yards, and six touchdowns, earning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month for September.

In his first five games alongside Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, he averaged 14.9 yards per catch even as the third wide receiver in the offense. His quick chemistry with Baker Mayfield helped him earn a spot on the NFL All-Rookie team and an $18.1 million guaranteed rookie contract with Tampa Bay.

It’s only going uphill for Egbuka now. Since Mike Evans is no longer with the Buccaneers, the popular consensus is that Egbuka enters training camp as Tampa Bay’s clear number-one target and will see the highest target share among his fellow WR room.

NFL analyst Bucky Brooks has placed him on his 2026 All-Breakout Team. Based on his rookie production and a likely rise in targets under new Buccaneers offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, projections put Egbuka in the range of 1,150 receiving yards for 2026.

With NFL training camps set to open on July 28, he will return to Tampa Bay as a happily married man heading into a pivotal second season.