Michael Penix Jr. is no newbie when it comes to love.

The University of Washington graduate made his NFL debut when he was drafted to the Atlanta Falcons on a rookie deal in April 2024 and was named the starting quarterback for the remainder of the season in December. For both milestones, Penix Jr. had a special supporter by his side: his girlfriend Olivia Carter.

Although it is not known when the couple started dating, they have been posting photos together on social media since November 2023. The next month, Penix Jr. posted a heartfelt tribute on his Instagram Stories in honor of Carter’s birthday, writing that she was his “ride or die.”

“I appreciate you for always being there for me through all the ups and downs and always having a smile on my face even in difficult times,” he wrote. “I feel blessed to be a part of your life and to be in the presence of your inner and outer beauty.”

So who is Michael Penix Jr.’s girlfriend? Here’s everything you need to know about Olivia Carter and her relationship with the NFL quarterback.

She’s from Washington

According to her Instagram bio, Carter lives in Seattle – just a short drive from her hometown of Kent, Washington, according to the University of Nevada’s official women’s soccer roster.

She was raised by her parents Christopher and Regina Carter along with her two brothers Quincy and Theo. Accordingly Kent ReporterCarter attended Renton High School before transferring to Kent-Meridian in her sophomore year.

In April 2017, she told the outlet that she comes from a sporty family, saying, “We all play sports.”

“We all have to do something,” she said. “My mother was a big track star. I wanted to be like her, so I decided to pursue it.

Carter’s father played basketball, but that didn’t stop him from being one of her biggest track and field fans throughout high school.

“They come to every meeting,” Carter said of her parents. “I can’t remember a meeting they missed.”

Meanwhile, Quincy became a running back at Central Washington University.

She graduated from the University of Nevada

In May 2022, Carter wrote on Instagram that she would be completing her bachelor’s degree in biology at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Accordingly Kent ReporterShe initially committed to Portland State University until she received a soccer scholarship to the University of Nevada.

“I’m super excited,” Carter told the outlet in February 2018. “When I was there, the coaches were great, the campus was beautiful and Reno was nice… I feel like I can succeed there and achieve my goals .”

According to the outlet, she dreamed of possibly becoming an anesthesiologist.

She was a student-athlete

Carter had been playing soccer since he was four years old Kent Reporter.

“Athletics is just my life. That’s all I do,” she told the outlet in April 2017. “I play soccer. I’m always training. I just love being a runner. It’s one of my favorite things to do.”

Carter was part of the University of Nevada women’s soccer team, where she played as both a defender and a forward.

In a video on the team’s Instagram from October 2021, Carter said her “favorite moment” was “the win against UNLV last year on senior night.”

Carter shared that after graduating, she would take time to travel and spend time with her family before applying to medical school.

They confirmed their relationship in late 2023

It is unknown how the two met or when they met, but Penix Jr. and Carter began posting to each other’s Instagram stories in November 2023. At the time, Carter posted a photo of them at a University of Washington football game and wrote, “LOVE YOU.”

Penix Jr. reposted the photo to his Instagram Stories and replied, “I love you.”

Since then, the couple has documented their relationship and travels around the world – including to Jamaica in May 2024, followed by Hawaii in July.

She was with Penix Jr. when he got the call that he would be drafted — and when he was named the starting quarterback

In April 2024, Penix Jr. was surrounded by friends and family at his home in Tampa, with Carter sitting by his side, when he got the call that he had been drafted to the Atlanta Falcons with the 8th pick in the first round.

In December, Penix Jr. learned that he had been named the starting quarterback and later revealed during a press conference that Carter was the one who was with him when he received the news.

“I was shopping with my girlfriend and we went to Costco. I got the call and they told me I would be the starting quarterback for the rest of the season,” he said. “I actually got a hot dog, and whenever I got the call, I wasn’t hungry anymore.”

Penix Jr. is grateful to have Carter along on his career path. In May 2024, he shared a carousel of photos of him and Carter from the draft celebration and throughout their relationship on Instagram, writing, “I want you by my side forever.”

Michael is her “best friend”

In May 2024, Carter shared a heartfelt birthday tribute to her “love” on Instagram, writing, “Celebrating you is easy and loving you is even easier.”

“Thank you for being you. Thank you for loving me the way you do,” she wrote. “Being with you feels unreal. You make me feel like I’m on top of the world every day.”

Carter continued, “Michael, you are my best friend and the man I have always prayed for. I thank God for bringing us together. The best chapter of my life began the day you walked into it and I am so blessed to have a friend like you.”