Jacob Rodriguez talks 'special connection' with wife, Emma, a US Army helicopter pilot, ahead of NFL Draft

NFL Draft prospect Jacob Rodriguez is going to have a pretty cool job to tell people about when he’s taken next week by an NFL team to begin his professional football journey.

But if you were to ask Rodriguez, his wife, Emma, has the coolest job in the family.

"Any time I get the chance to talk about her is the best. Every time I get the chance to tell people what she does for a living, they’re blown away, and rightfully so," Rodriguez told Fox News Digital during a recent interview.

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Emma Rodriguez is a 15A Aviation Officer in the United States Army. She flies the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. While Jacob was chasing his football dreams at the University of Virginia before transferring to Texas Tech, Emma, his high school sweetheart, was a West Point cadet.

So, it only seemed right for them to partner with USAA, the official "Salute to Service" partner of the NFL, ahead of Jacob’s start in pro football to help inspire all service members sacrificing for our country just as Emma does.

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"I think they do a tremendous job, and they actually got to take us out to a simulator," Jacob said of USAA. "I got to go, and my wife got to teach me how to fly, and that was a very fun experience. It’s something I didn’t think I would be able to do. Just partnering with them and being able to serve as many people as we can."

On the gridiron, Jacob knows efficiency, strength, focus and more is needed to perform at a high level. But being in that simulator gave him a newfound appreciation for what his wife does when she goes to work each day.

"What she does is very hard work, and it’s very stressful. But she’s up to the task," Jacob explained. "She’s always busy, always preparing, getting ready. And it just helps me out so much because I know somebody who’s working so hard and has so much on their shoulders that I get to do what I do for fun. I get to just have a lot of fun when I’m doing it. When I get to support her and show her all the appreciation I have for her, it means a lot to me."

Their love story is one that certainly pulls at the heartstrings.

They grew up in North Texas, attending rival high schools but building a bond that would face adversity given their individual dreams. Emma was heading to West Point in New York, while Jacob was trying to become a quarterback at Virginia. 

They each faced their own levels of adversity, with Jacob transferring to Texas Tech to become a linebacker without a scholarship at first, while Emma was fighting to get through her first year at West Point.

But their bond grew stronger despite the distance and personal struggles, and on July 1, 2023, they didn’t just get engaged. They got married on the same day.

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Since then, they’ve been each other’s rock, and Jacob couldn’t be more grateful to have someone like Emma by his side as he looks ahead to next Thursday’s draft.

"We try to be there as much as we can," he said. "It helps that she’s doing what she’s doing, and I’m doing what I’m doing. She understands how high-performing my environment is, and now I can understand the environment she has. You have to always be efficient, on your toes, be ready to go, be prepared. 

"Just being able to support each other, knowing what we have to do and knowing how much work needs to be put in, we can both really be efficient with our communication. We can both know there’s more to it than just work. It’s a true, special connection, and we’re just so thankful for each other. And I’m so thankful for everything she does and the way she supports me."

While Jacob is anxious waiting to see where his NFL journey begins, Emma is also set to deploy in a few months. But while the long-distance relationship may have to continue, they will be together next week to experience the draft together.

"With the NFL Draft coming up, she’ll be right there to support me. But if anything comes up on her side, I’ll be right there to support her. It’s nice when you have that coming from the house and being around each other.

"What I do is something I can really appreciate and something I never take for granted."

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source https://www.foxnews.com/sports/jacob-rodriguez-talks-special-connection-wife-emma-us-army-helicopter-pilot-ahead-nfl-draft