How an Instagram DM launched Grete Šadeiko and RG3's sudden whirlwind romance
An unsolicited Instagram DM sparked one of sport's most talked-about love stories. In January 2016, former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III — better known as RG3 — slid into the inbox of Estonian heptathlete Grete Šadeiko, and the pair have been inseparable ever since. Today they are married with three daughters, co-host a podcast, and remain a fixture in the sports media world. Here is everything you need to know about how Grete Šadeiko and RG3 met, and the romance that followed.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- RG3 first contacted Grete Šadeiko via Instagram DM in January 2016, while still legally married to his first wife, Rebecca Liddicoat.
- Grete was born on 29 May 1993 in Türi, Estonia, and is a former competitive heptathlete who studied Psychology at Florida State University.
- The couple got engaged on 13 May 2017 and married on 10 March 2018 in Miami.
- RG3 has four daughters in total — three with Grete (Gloria, Gameya, and Gia) and one (Reese Ann) with his first wife, Rebecca Liddicoat.
- Robert Griffin III has been married twice — first to Rebecca Liddicoat (2013–2016) and then to Grete Šadeiko (2018–present).
Profile summary
Detail | Information |
Full name | Grete Griffin (née Šadeiko) |
Date of birth | 29 May 1993 |
Birthplace | Türi, Estonia |
Nationality | Estonian |
Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
Profession | Former heptathlete; fitness entrepreneur |
Education | Florida State University (Psychology) |
Spouse | Robert Griffin III (married 10 March 2018) |
Children | Gloria, Gameya, Gia (stepdaughter: Reese Ann) |
Sister | Grit Šadeiko (heptathlete) |
Where is Robert Griffin III's wife from?
Grete Griffin (née Šadeiko) was born on 29 May 1993 and is an Estonian heptathlete. She was born in Türi, Estonia. She grew up in a sporting family — her older sister, Grit Šadeiko, is also a heptathlete.
In the autumn of 2012, Grete joined Florida State University, where she studied Psychology. She had been on the Seminoles track team since 2013 and returned from injury in 2014 by breaking a 24-year-old FSU heptathlon record.
Her athletic career
At the 2010 World Junior Championships in Moncton, Canada, she placed fourth with a personal-record 5,705 points, just one point behind Helga Margrét Thorsteinsdóttir. By the time RG3 discovered her profile, Šadeiko was a redshirt junior and had been named second-team All-American for two consecutive years.
Source: Getty Images
Since retiring from competition, Grete has worked as a fitness coach and trainer and now runs a fitness centre called Glow Fitness in Texas. She is also fully involved in the Robert Griffin III Foundation, which supports military families, underprivileged youth, and victims of domestic violence.
How did RG3 and Grete meet?
Sources close to the couple say RG3 first met Florida State track star Grete Šadeiko on Instagram in January — roughly seven months after his wife, Rebecca Liddicoat, gave birth to their daughter. As RG3 himself has shared, he reached out to Grete through an Instagram direct message, and they quickly bonded over shared interests in fitness, family, and faith.
The social media relationship turned real, and when Rebecca found out about it in April, the couple separated shortly after. It was only in August 2016 that the new couple were seen together holding hands in public, as reported by the New York Daily News, and a month after that RG3 started posting about her on his Instagram account.
The timeline of RG3's marriages
RG3 has been married twice. His first marriage and divorce set the context for how Grete entered the picture.
Source: Getty Images
He married Rebecca Liddicoat on 6 July 2013, until their divorce. RG3 and Rebecca Liddicoat got divorced in 2016, three years after their marriage, and less than a year after the birth of their daughter.
Šadeiko and Griffin became engaged on 13 May 2017. Their first daughter was born on 2 July 2017, and the couple married on 10 March 2018. The wedding took place in a ceremony in Miami, Florida, with around 100 guests.
How many kids does Robert Griffin III have?
Robert is married to Grete Griffin, and together they have three daughters (Gloria, Gameya, and Gia), while Robert has four daughters in total, including his eldest from his previous marriage:
- Reese Ann Griffin — born in 2015 with ex-wife Rebecca Liddicoat.
- Gloria Griffin — born 2 July 2017, Robert and Grete's first daughter together.
- Gameya Griffin — born in September 2019.
- Gia Griffin — born in January 2023.
The night before Gia's arrival, Robert was covering the Fiesta Bowl between TCU and Michigan for ESPN when he received a call that Grete had gone into labour. Grete Griffin shared on Instagram in January 2023:
First off let's start by saying that even though baby girl tried to make a dramatic entrance last night into 2023, she decided it wasn't time yet.
Robert Griffin III publicly celebrated his wife of over seven years on social media in late 2024. When some online commenters questioned whether his daughters were Black, he responded on X:
Black women telling my four daughters that they aren't Black is beyond wrong.
RG3's career: from NFL quarterback to broadcaster
Robert Lee Griffin III is a former professional football quarterback who played in the NFL for eight seasons, most notably with the Washington Redskins. Griffin played college football for the Baylor Bears, winning the Heisman Trophy in 2011, and was selected second overall by the Redskins in the 2012 NFL Draft.
His rookie contract with the Washington Redskins, signed in 2012, was valued at $21.1 million over four years. Injuries, however, cut his playing career short.
Source: Getty Images
After retiring from the NFL, Fox Sports welcomed Griffin III to its college football analyst roster for the 2025 season. In addition to his booth work, Griffin's podcast Outta Pocket with RGIII is featured on Fox Sports/Red Seat Ventures — co-hosted with his wife, Grete, the podcast explores the hottest topics in sports and features interviews with major names.
Robert Griffin III's net worth
Robert Griffin III's estimated net worth stands at approximately $13 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. This valuation reflects his main income sources: his professional playing career, media ventures, and personal business investments.
His income streams include:
- Total NFL career earnings of $33 million across eight seasons, according to Spotrac.
- Broadcasting salary from Fox Sports.
- Various endorsement deals secured throughout his career.
- Business ventures and the Glow Fitness brand run by Grete.
Latest news
Source: Getty Images
In October 2025, Robert Griffin III shared that he and his family had been involved in a serious car crash in Fort Worth, Texas. He wrote on X:
Just got in the worst car accident of our lives with my wife and kids in Fort Worth, Texas. Scary crash, ricocheted off the highway divider multiple times, blown both front tires. Thankful to God that my wife and kids are safe.
Griffin had been travelling from Houston to Fort Worth for work when the accident occurred. Grete later shared a photo of two of the couple's daughters in the back of an ambulance, confirming the children were well and healthy.
Earlier in 2025, Ryan Clark publicly apologised to Griffin after bringing Grete into a race-based dispute on The Pivot podcast. Clark had made comments about Grete during a feud with Griffin over the Caitlin Clark–Angel Reese rivalry.
Most recently, Robert Griffin III is reportedly preparing for an NFL comeback, with his daughters cited as part of his motivation. He has also pursued a spot in USA Football's national team programme with an eye towards the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, where flag football will make its Olympic debut.
FAQs
- How did RG3 and Grete meet? RG3 sent Grete Šadeiko an Instagram direct message in January 2016 after discovering her profile; the pair bonded quickly and went public with their relationship later that year.
- Where is Robert Griffin III's wife from? Grete Griffin (née Šadeiko) is from Türi, Estonia. She is an Estonian national and a former heptathlete who attended Florida State University.
- How many times has Robert Griffin III been married? Robert Griffin III has been married twice — first to Rebecca Liddicoat (2013–2016) and currently to Grete Šadeiko (2018–present).
- How many kids does Robert Griffin III have? RG3 has four daughters: Reese Ann (with Rebecca Liddicoat), and Gloria, Gameya, and Gia (with Grete Šadeiko).
- What does Grete Griffin do now? Grete runs Glow Fitness, a fitness centre in Texas, and co-hosts the Outta Pocket with RGIII podcast alongside her husband.
- Did RG3 and Grete get a tattoo of each other's names? Reports from 2016 indicated that RG3 had Grete's name tattooed on his forearm — a sign, sources at the time noted, of just how serious he was about the relationship.
- What is RG3's net worth? Robert Griffin III's net worth is estimated at between $12 million and $16 million, drawn from his NFL career earnings, broadcasting work, and endorsements.
- Does Grete Šadeiko have a sister? Yes — Grete's older sister, Grit Šadeiko, is also a competitive heptathlete and represented Estonia at the senior international level.
Quick facts
- Grete Šadeiko was born in Türi, Estonia, on 29 May 1993.
- She finished fourth at the 2010 World Junior Championships in the heptathlon.
- She runs Glow Fitness, her own fitness business in Texas.
- She co-hosts the Outta Pocket with RGIII Fox Sports podcast with her husband.
- She is actively involved in the RG3 Foundation, which supports military families and underprivileged youth.
Grete Šadeiko and RG3's love story proves that sometimes, the most unexpected messages can lead to something lasting. What began with an Instagram DM quickly turned into a whirlwind romance, marriage and a growing family, turning a chance online connection into a remarkable chapter in both their lives.
We also highlighted facts about Kelly Rizzo and Bob Saget's love story, from their first Instagram messages in 2015 to their marriage and life together.
Their romance began with a message about burgers and lobsters, but ended in heartbreak when Saget died suddenly in 2022. Rizzo has since spoken about finding love again, with Saget's daughters' blessing.
Source: Legit.ng
