Zach Wilson’s relationship drama, explained: the NFL player is engaged to Nicolette Dellanno – but who is his ex Abbey Gile, and what ‘homie hopper’ rumours did she start about him and his mum’s BFF?
However, the road to finding the “love of his life”, as Wilson called Dellanno on his Instagram, was rather rocky. The sports star said on his engagement post that he “never truly understood what love was” until he met Dellanno – an interesting remark given the drama that has surrounded his love life so far.
Here’s everything you need to know about the roller coaster ride that was the Denver Broncos quarterback’s public dating life.
Zach Wilson took two college girls to high school prom
In 2018, at 18 years old, Wilson reportedly took two college girls – cheerleaders for the BYU (Brigham Young University) Cougars – to his high school prom. These women, obviously older than him, were Breanna Penrod and Brynn Hiatt. Penrod posted a picture on her Instagram of the young Wilson joined by herself on one side and Hiatt on the other as they kissed his cheeks.
Wilson later attended BYU himself, where his roommate and teammate was current Washington Commanders wide receiver Dax Milne, per Us Magazine. (This will be important later on.)
His high school sweetheart was Abbey Gile
The football star reportedly dated Abbey Gile since they were in their teens. She posted a loved-up picture with him back in 2017, captioned, “#1 on the field and #1 in my heart”.
Wilson also told Deseret News in 2021 that his then-girlfriend Gile was “great” and “very supportive”, adding that they went on a couple’s trip to an Ashton, Idaho cabin with fellow BYU teammates Troy Warner, Matt Bushman and Isaiah Kaufusi and their respective significant others before his NFL draft. She was also there in Cleveland for the draft, cheering him on, per NY Post.
Early in 2022, the two deleted any evidence of their relationship from their Instagram accounts, per the same publication, and evidently moved on. Gile would then go on to start a controversial rumour about her former lover …
Gile accused her ex of sleeping with his mum’s bestie
The Broncos QB was linked to his now-fiancée Dellanno in 2022 – the same year he allegedly broke up with Gile, and Gile reportedly started seeing Milne, Wilson’s aforementioned ex-roommate and ex-teammate. After Gile and Wilson became Instagram official, Milne was dubbed “Mr Steal Your Girl”, while an Instagram user called Gile a “homie hopper” – someone who dates their ex’s friend soon after breaking up – which swiftly caught on.
So how did Wilson react to the rumours? “Poor cell service … what I miss?” – a response labelled “legendary” by Arizona Cardinals running back Michael Carter.
Zach Wilson’s family loves his fiancée, Nicolette Dellanno
Wilson’s wife-to-be definitely has her future mother-in-law’s blessing. The mum of six posted a picture with Dellanno on her Instagram Stories, where she wrote, “He found a good one this time. So good to my boy and my entire family. Love you @nicolette_dellanno.” Dellanno has also holidayed with Wilson’s family, and vice versa, per People.
Wilson’s ex got engaged a week after he did
- Abbey Gile is dating Wilson’s ex-bestie Dax Milne; when she was accused of being a ‘homie hopper’, she claimed Wilson dated his mum’s best friend, though her comment’s since been deleted
- Wilson also famously took two college girls to his high school prom, Breanna Penrod and Brynn Hiatt – though all that’s in the past now, and his influencer mum’s a fan of his fiancée