NFL Rookie's Girlfriend Welcomed by "Bird Gang Baes" Ahead of Debut

In the spring of 2025, 23-year-old Tyler Nelson found herself thrust into the life of an NFL WAG (Wives and Girlfriends) when her boyfriend, Walter Nolen, was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the first round. Just a day after the draft, Nelson and Nolen were on a chartered jet to Arizona to start their new life together in the NFL.

Despite the whirlwind of the move, Nelson was quickly welcomed into the Cardinals' tight-knit WAG community. The group, which Nelson says has around 32 members, has a group chat called "Bird Gang Baes" where they coordinate their game day plans. On Sundays, the WAGs will gather at one of their homes for drinks and getting ready before piling into a Sprinter van to head to the stadium.

Nelson, who met Nolen just a day before graduating from LSU, says the other WAGs "just took me under their wing" during this major life transition. With Nolen likely to remain with the Cardinals for years to come, Nelson knows these women will be a constant presence in her life, from game days to potentially even getting pregnant together.

As Nolen prepares for his NFL debut, Nelson is grateful to have this built-in support system to help guide her through the exciting, yet daunting, experience of becoming an NFL WAG.