Only a few weeks after Nick Lachey announced his engagement to longtime girlfriend Vanessa Minnillo, his ex-wife Jessica Simpson grabbed similar headlines when she proclaimed that she too was engaged to former NFL tight end Eric Johnson. It will be the second marriage for both of them (Johnson's divorce from his first wife was just finalized in September) and is the second NFL-related relationship for Simpson (who dated Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo for two years).
In fact, Simpson's impending nuptials to Johnson certainly isn't the first intersection of pop music and the National Football League. Plenty of other pop stars have had relationships with professional gridiron warriors.
Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes and Andre Rison
Lopes, one third of groundbreaking R&B trio TLC, dated former Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Andre "Bad Moon" Rison in the early '90s. Lopes was a devoted girlfriend (she had Rison's jersey number tattooed on her arm) but was also the jealous type (she burned Rison's house down in 1994).
Carrie Underwood and Tony Romo
Before Romo dated Simpson, he was linked to country star and former "American Idol" winner Carrie Underwood for a year. When their relationship ended, she switched her sports allegiances and ended up marrying professional hockey player Mike Fisher.
Jane Russell and Bob Waterfield
One of the definitive sex symbols of the '40s and '50s thanks to her sexy appearances on film and television (and in wartime pin-ups), Russell also attempted to launch a music career (which included the singles "As Long As I Live" and "Boin-n-n-ng!"). She married quarterback Bob Waterfield, who spent his entire career with the NFL's Rams (first in Cleveland, then in Los Angeles) and won the NFL championship in 1945 and 1951.
Victoria and David Beckham
OK, so this is the other kind of football, but it still counts. Victoria first made a name for herself as a member of the Spice Girls, while David is considered one of the best soccer players of the modern era.
Who is your favorite NFL/pop music couple? Let us know in the comments!