At a Glance
- Sean Payton married Skylene Montgomery on June 18, 2021 in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
- The couple met in 2014 when she called a number for Saints tickets and reached him directly
- Skylene, a former Miss West Virginia and ICU nurse, keeps a low profile despite NFL spotlight
Why it matters: The private union pairs one of football’s most visible coaches with a partner who deliberately avoids fame.
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton tied the knot with Skylene Montgomery in an intimate Mexican ceremony after a seven-year courtship that began with a wrong-number phone call.
From Wrong Number to Wedding Bells
Their origin story started in 2014 inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Montgomery, then a North Carolina nurse, asked a friend for Saints tickets. The friend passed along a phone number that connected her directly to Payton, New Orleans’ head coach at the time.
She met him during the pre-game ceremony to thank him for the seats. The encounter came shortly after Payton’s divorce from Beth Shuey was finalized. They dated quietly for five years before he proposed on November 8, 2019, at what Montgomery thought was a 35th-birthday party for herself.
Country singer Heidi Newfield performed “Johnny and June” before Payton dropped to one knee. The couple later inked matching “J” tattoos on their ankles as a nod to the song.
Pandemic Postponement and Final Vows
Original plans called for a March 2021 wedding, but COVID-19 forced a three-month delay. The rescheduled event unfolded on June 18, 2021, in Cabo San Lucas with former NBA coach Avery Johnson officiating.
Montgomery downplayed the legal milestone beforehand, telling Nola.com, “Short of my being on his insurance, and having a big ol’ rock on my hand, nothing will really change when we marry.”
West Virginia Roots and Pageant Crown
Montgomery grew up an only child in Parkersburg, West Virginia. Her mother Darlene recalled, “She always gravitated toward the new kids in school, to make sure they felt comfortable.”
Despite her mother’s push for dance classes, Montgomery played all-state volleyball and softball and described herself as “that kid in messy, baggy shorts and a Nike tee who played baseball.”
She captured the Miss West Virginia title in 2008 and competed at Miss USA the same year. Earlier, at 14, she placed first runner-up in Miss Teen West Virginia.
Nursing Career and Dual Jobs
Montgomery earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from West Virginia University in 2009 after studying exercise physiology at Marshall University, where she served as vice president of the Delta Zeta sorority.
She logged shifts in the Gastrointestinal Intensive Care Unit at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans and coached volleyball with the Bayou Sports Club. To make ends meet after graduation, she worked two jobs.
Her parents insisted on financial independence. When her cell phone was shut off for late payment, her father refused to help. “I was never late on a payment again,” she said.
Charity Work and Quiet Influence
Montgomery assists with Payton’s Play It Forward Foundation, focusing on health, education, and social welfare for children and families. She partners with Saints owner Gayle Benson on the annual Moonlight & Miracles Ball benefiting Ochsner Cancer Institute and supports Second Harvest’s Harvest at Home fundraiser.
Friend Jennifer Ansardi told Nola.com that Montgomery “is not someone who seeks the limelight” and praised her resourcefulness: “She can handle any emergency with something in her purse.”
Fitness Routine and Shared Hobbies
Her workouts include boxing with trainer Keith Director, hot yoga, CrossFit, and golf-often played with Payton. Their dogs are named after CrossFit workouts. Director described her as “strong, fast, lean,” noting she finishes sessions by sparring with him.
Life in the NFL Spotlight
Since Payton became Broncos head coach in 2023, Montgomery has stayed largely out of public view. When jumbotron cameras captured her in Payton’s Saints suite, she assumed the focus was on actor Vince Vaughn seated beside her.
Payton has two children from his previous marriage: daughter Meghan and son Connor. The couple divides time between Denver and New Orleans while maintaining the low-profile dynamic that defined their relationship from the first chance phone call.
Key Takeaways
- A ticketing mix-up in 2014 sparked a romance that led to marriage seven years later
- Montgomery balances charity work, fitness, and nursing while avoiding NFL fame
- The Paytons delayed vows due to COVID-19 before sealing their union in Mexico
