Tonight, Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Desmond Ridder will start against his former team, the Atlanta Falcons, on Monday Night Football. Ridder has an opportunity to get revenge against the team that gave up on him. With Ridder in the spotlight, many fans are curious about his personal life. Let’s examine the quarterback’s love life and whether he’s married.
Meet Desmond Ridder’s Wife, Claire Cornett
Ridder married his wife, Claire Cornett, in July 2022, when they were both 22 years old.
Cornett and Ridder are high school sweethearts who attended school in Louisville. The couple has been dating since 2016, and they both went to the University of Cincinnati.
While Ridder became a star quarterback, two-time AAC Offensive Player of the Year, and two-time first-team All-AAC selection, Cornett was getting her degree in political science.
Cornett has a background in sales and currently works at Max Retail, an online marketplace that allows independent retailers and brands to sell their inventory.
Ridder and Cornett engaged in 2018 when Ridder popped the question. The couple tied the knot four years later, just one year after their daughter, Leighton Elizabeth, was born in 2021. The couple welcomed their second child, a son, Khylan Jett, in February 2024.
Ridder loves fatherhood, and he always puts his family first.
Ridder actually played college football one more season because of the birth of his daughter. He didn’t want to mix the stress of change and inconsistency associated with getting drafted in another city, transitioning to the NFL, and the birth of his daughter.
Now, he’ll have an opportunity to make his family proud when he faces his former team, the Falcons, on Monday Night Football.
Who Is Ridder?
Ridder is best known for his stint with Atlanta, where he appeared in 19 games. However, in March 2024, Atlanta traded Ridder to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for wide receiver Rondale Moore.
Ridder ultimately lost the backup quarterback battle to Clayton Tune, and he was released by Arizona in August 2024. The Cardinals subsequently re-signed him to their practice squad.
However, after the Raiders dealt with injuries to quarterbacks Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew, Las Vegas signed Ridder off of Arizona’s practice squad on Oct. 21, 2024.
Now, with both QBs injured, Ridder will start for the Raiders against his former team on national television.
Throughout the course of his three-year NFL career, Ridder has thrown for 3,783 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions on a 64% completion percentage, and he has posted an 8-9 record as a starter.