Christen Goff understands the reputation that comes with being a WAG, a wife and girlfriend of a professional athlete. Being married to football player Jared Goff, she enjoys the perks that come with the job — sending him off with a kiss before a big game, wearing the jacket embroidered with their shared last name. Since they met six years ago, the term WAG has gone through a rebranding of sorts, thanks in part to a certain relationship between a major pop star and a tight end. There’s been a role reversal, with the cultural focus shifting from the players on the field to the friendships between the women in the suites.
Beyond the squad selfies on social media, Goff experiences the unpredictability behind the glamorous title. Back in 2021, her husband was traded mid-contract to play in Detroit, and her life in Los Angeles was upended. When the news first broke, she was shocked. “That was the biggest change; all of a sudden we were moving across the country for seven months of the year, away from our friends and family,” Goff says. She was unsure of what her future in Detroit would look like. Having spent her entire life in California, the move meant leaving behind her community and career opportunities in L.A., in exchange for days spent alone in a new place while Jared was at practice. That is, until she found her footing.
During this period, the WAGs became Goff’s support system. Almost immediately after her move, the wife of a fellow teammate reached out, and other women followed, messaging Goff welcoming her to the team. “Everybody is in the same boat, the women especially,” she says. “We are all moving to a new city without family or friends and we don’t have that support system.” With this new sense of camaraderie, her hesitations about beginning a life in Detroit faded into excitement.
Goff has learned that these women are able to sympathize with her in a way her other friends can’t: They understand the ups and downs of the football world, the disappointment after losing a game or when a player gets hurt. Above all, these women are a constant source of stability in Goff’s ever-changing life. Although Jared recently signed a new four-year contract, she knows that she can turn to this community if another move is in her future — even if it takes her across the country again. “You could have a best friend here one day and she’s gone the next day, [but] that’s also the beautiful part of it; having that commonality in this crazy world is how we connect so easily,” Goff says.
While Goff splits her time between Detroit and L.A., she still leans on her peers at times when her role as a WAG can feel isolating, like game days that fall on holidays. Through it, she has learned to embrace the advantages that come with the unconventional lifestyle, like hanging with her friends in the suite instead of cooking for Thanksgiving. Being present for the games allows Goff to tap into her community, whether she’s at the stadium or at home hosting. Game day can even turn into an event of its own for the women, she says. They started a tradition of renting a party bus a few times a year and stopping by a bar before the game. And if she gets the chance, Goff will go down to the field ahead of kickoff to see Jared for a moment — though it’s not a guarantee.
For many of the women who are heavily invested in the team, game day is stressful, and sometimes, Goff prefers supporting from home. She enjoys hosting watch parties at her place, inviting the WAGs on the team to join. It’s nothing fancy, Goff admits. Her friends bring appetizers while she sets out a few low-lift snacks, like her famous crostinis.
To ensure she doesn’t miss a second of the game, Goff likes to serve the Cocktail Collection’s Crown Royal Whisky Sour With Black Cherry, a delicious pre-made cocktail, alongside cute serving glasses, ice, and a few garnishes. Since moving to the Midwest, she’s developed a taste for whisky — it’s the ideal fall drink to accompany the cooler weather, she says. The Crown Royal Whiskey Sour With Black Cherry is her favorite because it allows her to easily serve a tasty, bar-quality drink without mixing cocktails herself. “People can just jump up and pour their drink on a 30-second timeout,” she says.
Goff likes to keep a few of the Cocktail Collection varieties stocked in her fridge, both in Detroit and L.A. She splits her time between the two cities, and having ready-made cocktails — from a Ketel One Espresso Martini to an Astral Margarita — on hand is one less responsibility to deal with on game day. The convenience also gives her the chance to enjoy more face-time with the women.
Regardless of the outcome, hosting these game-day parties is an opportunity for Goff to bring the WAGs together and just have fun. “There’s going to be good days, there’s going to be bad days,” she says. “But we’ll always have the consistency of having these girls.”
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