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NFL Draft prospect Jacob Rodriguez will have a pretty cool job to tell people about when he is picked up by an NFL team next week to begin his professional football journey.
But if you were to ask Rodriguez, his wife, Emma, has the coolest job in the family.
“Every time I get a chance to talk about her is the best. Every time I get a chance to tell people what she does for a living, they’re blown away, and rightfully so,” Rodriguez told Pakinomist Digital during a recent interview.
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NFL prospect Jacob Rodriguez and his wife, Emma, a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter pilot for the U.S. Army, partnered with USAA, the official “Salute to Service” partner of the NFL. (USAA)
Emma Rodriguez is a 15A aviation officer in the US 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 to sacrifice for our country, just like Emma does.
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“I think they do a great job, and they actually had 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 it was a very fun experience. It’s something I didn’t think I’d be able to do. Just partnering with them and being able to serve as many people as we can.”
On the gridiron, Jacob knows that efficiency, strength, focus and more are needed to perform at a high level. But being in that simulator gave him a new appreciation for what his wife does when she goes to work every day.
“What she does is very hard work and it’s very stressful. But she’s up to the task,” explained Jacob. “She’s always busy, always preparing, getting ready. And it just helps me so much because I know someone who works so hard and has so much on their shoulders that I get to do what I do for fun. I have a lot of fun 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 is sure to tug at the heartstrings.
Jacob Rodriguez and his wife, Emma Rodriguez, celebrate after the Big 12 championship game against the BYU Cougars at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Dec. 6, 2025. (John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
They grew up in North Texas, attended rival high schools, but built a bond that would face adversity given their individual dreams. Emma was headed to West Point in New York, while Jacob was trying to become a quarterback in Virginia.
They each faced their own level of adversity, with Jacob transferring to Texas Tech to become a linebacker without a scholarship at first, while Emma struggled to get through her freshman 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 were 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 does what she does and I do what I do. She understands how high-performing my environment is, and now I can understand the environment she has. You always have to be efficient, on your toes, be ready to go, be prepared.
“Just being able to support each other, knowing what to do and knowing how much work to put in, we can both be really effective with our communication. We can both know that there’s more to it than just work. It’s a real, 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 excited and waiting to see where his NFL journey begins, Emma is also set to be deployed 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.
Jacob Rodriguez of the Texas Tech Red Raiders celebrates with his wife Emma Rodriguez after the Big 12 championship game against the BYU Cougars at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Dec. 6, 2025. (John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
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“When the NFL Draft comes around, she’ll be right there to support me. But if something comes up on her side, I’ll be there to support her. It’s nice to have that from the house and be around each other.
“What I do is something I can really appreciate and something I never take for granted.”
