Jessica Mazura is an American athlete, soccer player, and former educator born on September 5, 1987, in Newport Beach, California. She gained wider public attention as the wife of retired NFL linebacker Ryan Kerrigan.
Before her marriage put her in the spotlight, she built a career that spanned teaching, animal welfare, and operations management at Nike.
Who is Jessica Mazura?
Jessica Mazura is an American athlete and former professional who grew up in California. She is best known as the wife of former Washington Commanders defensive star Ryan Kerrigan.
Her background is athletic from the ground up. She played soccer for the American Youth Soccer Organization as a child and later competed at the college level at UC Berkeley.
After earning her degree, she worked across several industries, including education, animal care management, and sports retail operations. That career history gives her a profile that goes beyond simply being an NFL player’s spouse.
Jessica and Ryan married in March 2018 and have two children together. Since then, she has continued to stay active on social media and has remained a visible presence in Ryan’s post-playing life.
Early Life of Jessica Mazura
Jessica Mazura was born and raised in Newport Beach, California. Her parents are Terry Mazura and Marla Miller. She grew up in a household that encouraged outdoor activity and sport from an early age.
As a child, she played soccer for the American Youth Soccer Organization, which gave her a competitive foundation long before her college years. That early commitment to the sport shaped her athletic identity through her teens.
She later moved north to attend the University of California, Berkeley, one of the top public universities in the country. Her time there included varsity-level women’s soccer competition alongside a demanding academic program.
Jessica has described herself as a sports enthusiast well beyond soccer, with interests including golf, basketball, hiking, and jogging. Animals have also played a large role in her personal life, a passion that later translated into actual work experience in the animal rescue sector.
Jessica Mazura Age
Jessica Mazura is 38 years old as of 2026, born on September 5, 1987. Her zodiac sign is Virgo. She completed her degree at UC Berkeley before taking up her first job in teaching in 2009, giving her over a decade of professional experience across multiple fields.
Jessica Mazura Ethnicity and Nationality
Jessica Mazura is an American national, born and raised in California. She comes from an American family, with her parents Terry Mazura and Marla Miller both based in the Newport Beach area.
Specific ethnic background details have been publicly confirmed beyond her American identity.
Jessica Mazura Height and Weight
Jessica Mazura’s exact height and weight are not publicly confirmed. She is known to be athletic and physically active, having played competitive soccer through college and continuing regular fitness training since.
Her dedication to sport and exercise has remained a consistent part of her lifestyle.
Jessica Mazura Education
Jessica Mazura attended the University of California, Berkeley, where she was part of the women’s soccer program. UC Berkeley is one of the most selective public universities in the United States.
She graduated with a degree in sociology and education. That academic background directly informed her first professional move, which was into the classroom.
Her degree also gave her the framework for roles in management and operations that followed her teaching years. The combination of a sports background and a sociology education made her a strong fit for the diverse career path she pursued.
Jessica Mazura Career
Teaching and Animal Welfare Work
After graduating from UC Berkeley, Jessica Mazura took up a teaching position at Emerson Elementary School. She worked there from 2009 through 2012, building experience in education during that three-year span.
Alongside her teaching role, she also took on a concurrent position as an Animal Care Manager at Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation. Her love of animals made that combination of roles a natural fit during those early career years.
Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation is a well-established California-based organization focused on rescuing animals from shelters. Jessica’s time there as a manager reflected her genuine commitment to animal welfare, not just a passing interest.
Operations and Coaching Roles
After her classroom and animal care years, Jessica Mazura took on a role with Slammers FC as a head soccer coach. The Slammers FC is a prominent youth soccer club in Southern California with a strong competitive reputation.
She also spent five years working in operations at Nike, one of the world’s leading sportswear companies. Her work in the operations department at Nike made strong use of both her organizational skills and her athletic background.
Later, she served as a veterinary nurse at the Banfield Pet Hospital in Reston, Virginia. That role came during the period when Ryan was playing for the Washington Redskins, placing her in the D.C. area and again returning to animal care work. From teaching to coaching to Nike and veterinary care, she built a career across multiple sectors connected by her interests in sport and animals.
Life After Ryan’s Retirement
Ryan Kerrigan retired from playing in July 2022, signing a one-day contract with Washington to make the retirement official. Shortly after, he joined the Washington Commanders coaching staff as assistant defensive line coach.
Jessica has supported Ryan’s transition into coaching throughout that period. She continues to maintain a presence on social media, sharing family life with their two children and staying connected to the sports community through Ryan’s coaching career.
Ryan Kerrigan: Career Overview
Ryan Kerrigan is the husband of Jessica Mazura and one of the most accomplished defensive players in NFL history. He grew up in Muncie, Indiana, and attended Muncie Central High School, where he recorded 90 tackles and 19 sacks in his senior season alone.
His high school performance earned him all-state honors as a defensive end. At the same time, he lined up as a tight end on offense, hauling in 40 passes for 789 yards and six touchdowns in his prep career.
College Career at Purdue
Ryan Kerrigan played for Purdue University from 2007 through 2010. He became one of the most dominant defensive linemen in Big Ten history during his four seasons in West Lafayette, Indiana.
His junior season in 2009 produced 13 sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss, earning him the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year award. His senior year in 2010 was even more dominant, leading the nation with 26 tackles for loss alongside 12.5 sacks and five forced fumbles.
In 2010, Kerrigan earned unanimous All-American honors, becoming the first Purdue player to achieve that distinction since 1980. He finished his college career with 33.5 sacks, second in Purdue history, and 57 tackles for loss. His 14 forced fumbles tied an NCAA record at the time.
That senior season also earned him the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year awards. He won the Bill Willis Trophy for the nation’s top defensive lineman and graduated with a degree in education.
NFL Career with Washington
The Washington Redskins selected Kerrigan with the 16th overall pick in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year, $8.72 million rookie contract on July 29, 2011, and immediately started contributing as a pass rusher.
In 2011, he earned a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team. He made the Pro Bowl for the first time in 2012, and the NFL named him its Defensive Rookie of the Month during his debut season. In 2015, Washington signed him to a five-year contract extension worth $57.5 million.
Kerrigan made the Pro Bowl four times overall: in 2012 and then again in 2016, 2017, and 2018. He started 139 consecutive games from 2011 through 2019, a streak that ranked among the longest by any linebacker in league history. In 2014, he tied for the NFL lead with five forced fumbles.
He spent 10 seasons with Washington and finished as the franchise’s all-time leader in both career sacks (95.5) and forced fumbles (26). His final season with the club came in 2020.
Philadelphia Eagles and Coaching Career
In May 2021, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Kerrigan to a one-year, $2.5 million contract. He played one season in Philadelphia, adding to his career totals before moving on.
On July 29, 2022, he signed a one-day contract with Washington and officially announced his retirement. He closed out his playing career with 95.5 sacks, 26 forced fumbles, 457 tackles, 25 passes defensed, and three interceptions. All three interceptions went for touchdowns.
That same September, the Washington Commanders named him assistant defensive line coach, working alongside defensive line coach Jeff Zgonina. By 2024, Kerrigan transitioned into the role of assistant linebackers coach and pass rush specialist, remaining with the Commanders coaching staff through the 2025 season. He was also inducted into the Purdue Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018 and the Indiana Football Hall of Fame.
Ryan Kerrigan Career Stats
Across his 172 NFL games, Ryan Kerrigan put up the following career totals:
- Sacks: 95.5
- Tackles: 457 (333 solo)
- Tackles for loss: 117+
- Forced fumbles: 26
- Interceptions: 3 (all returned for touchdowns)
- Passes defensed: 25
Ryan Kerrigan Awards and Championships
Ryan Kerrigan earned four Pro Bowl selections during his playing career, in 2012, 2016, 2017, and 2018. He earned PFWA All-Rookie Team honors in 2011.
In college, he won the Bill Willis Trophy in 2010, was a unanimous All-American, and took home the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Lineman of the Year awards. The Commanders named him one of the 90 Greatest players in franchise history.
He received Indiana Football Hall of Fame induction and Purdue Athletics Hall of Fame induction in 2018. As of 2026, he appears on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot, having been included among the 79 FBS players eligible for the 2026 class.
Jessica Mazura Husband
Jessica Mazura is married to Ryan Kerrigan. The couple got engaged in 2017 after Ryan proposed to Jessica at sunset on a beach. Their wedding took place on March 2, 2018, in Huntington Beach, California.
The event drew family, friends, and several of Ryan’s Washington teammates. The Huntington Beach ceremony was both lavish and personal, reflecting the couple’s California roots.
Ryan and Jessica met through their shared interests in athletics and an active lifestyle. Their relationship developed quietly before the engagement, and their wedding put them publicly together for the first time on a larger scale.
Since his retirement from playing in 2022, Ryan has remained in the football world through coaching. Jessica has continued to support the family as Ryan transitions from player to coach with the Washington Commanders.
Jessica Mazura Children
Ryan and Jessica Kerrigan have two children. Their son Lincoln Georgie Kerrigan was born in March 2019, making him their firstborn. Their daughter Hayes Frankie Kerrigan arrived in October 2020.
Lincoln and Hayes grew up during Ryan’s later playing seasons and then his transition into coaching. The family also keeps two bulldogs named Franklin George and Kennedy Truman.
Jessica Mazura Net Worth
Jessica Mazura’s estimated net worth is not publicly listed as a standalone figure, but her household wealth reflects her husband’s career earnings. Ryan Kerrigan’s estimated net worth is $13 million as of 2026.
Ryan earned more than $75 million in total NFL salary across his 11-season playing career, per contract records. His largest deal was a five-year, $57.5 million extension he signed with Washington in 2015. He also sold a Newport Beach property for $4 million in May 2018.
Jessica contributed to the family’s income through her own career in teaching, Nike operations management, animal care, and coaching. Her work history across those sectors reflects a professional track record independent of Ryan’s football career.
Jessica Mazura Social Media
Jessica Mazura is active on Instagram under the handle @jessicamkerrigan. She posts updates on family life, travel, and her active lifestyle.
Her social media presence reflects the family-first approach she and Ryan have maintained throughout his playing and coaching career. She uses the platform to share moments with their children and keep connected with friends and fans.
The Bottom Line
Ryan Kerrigan retired in July 2022 as the Washington Commanders’ all-time sack leader with 95.5 career sacks, a record that stands across 11 professional seasons. He returned to the organization that same year as an assistant defensive line coach and has remained on Washington’s staff since.
Jessica Mazura played college soccer at UC Berkeley, then built a career that included teaching elementary school, managing an animal rescue foundation, coaching youth soccer, and working in operations at Nike. Her own professional background stands apart from her identity as an NFL spouse.
As of 2026, Ryan serves on the Commanders coaching staff and appears on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot. Jessica continues to share family life publicly through Instagram.
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