Danielle Marie Puleo – Life of NFL’s Chris Simms Wife

Know about the woman who stands beside former NFL quarterback and sports analyst Chris Simms? While Chris might be the familiar face on your TV screen talking about football, his wife Danielle Marie Puleo has her own interesting story that doesn’t get much attention. Let’s explore who she really is beyond just being an “NFL wife.”

Danielle Marie Puleo Quick Bio

Biographical Information	Details
Full Name	Danielle Marie Puleo
Birth Date	November 10, 1980 [44 years old as of April 2025]
Ethnicity	Italian-American
Education	Fashion Institute of Technology (New York)
Professional Background	Fashion designer specializing in bespoke designs; Former restaurant manager at family businesses (Puleo’s and Puleo’s Too)
Marital Status	Married to Chris Simms (since August 2004)
Children	Charlotte Elizabeth (b. 2006), Phillip (b. 2010)
Family Connections	Father: Robert V. Puleo (restaurant owner) Mother: Gloria A. Puleo Father-in-law: Phil Simms (NFL legend, CBS sports commentator) Mother-in-law: Diana Simms Brother-in-law: Matt Simms
Notable Life Events	Met Chris at Ramapo High School (1996) Worked in family restaurants before pursuing fashion Marriage officiated by Franklin Lakes Mayor G. Thomas Donch
Residence History	Franklin Lakes, NJ (hometown) Various locations during Chris’s NFL career with Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, and Denver Broncos
Public Presence	Maintains low profile on social media Occasionally appears on Chris’s Instagram (@simmsunbuttoned)
Business Focus	Custom fashion design with personalized client relationships

Who Is Danielle Marie Puleo?

Born on November 10, 1980, Danielle Marie Puleo is much more than just Chris Simms‘ wife. She’s talented in many ways, has Italian-American roots, and has built a life that combines family traditions with modern business skills.

I’ve covered many celebrity relationships over the years, and Danielle’s story stands out. Unlike many people married to famous figures, she doesn’t try to become famous herself on social media. Instead, she values privacy and staying true to herself.

Danielle Puleo From Restaurants to Fashion

Danielle grew up around her family’s restaurant business. Her father, Robert V. Puleo, owned Puleo’s and Puleo’s Too in New York. Danielle worked as a manager there before deciding to follow a different path.

This early work experience taught her important skills like customer service and business management that would later help her in her fashion career.

I once interviewed a chef-turned-fashion designer who shared that restaurant management taught them how to handle deadline pressure and client expectations skills Danielle likely developed too. The fast pace of restaurant service prepares you for the quick decisions needed during fashion fitting sessions.

Danielle Marie Puleo Italian-American Background

Danielle’s Italian-American heritage shapes both her personal values and her work approach. People familiar with her designs say you can see these influences in her careful attention to detail and focus on quality over quantity.

Growing up in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey with parents Robert and Gloria Puleo, Danielle learned cultural values that stressed quality craftsmanship and personal connections ideas that now set her custom clothing designs apart in a world full of mass-produced fashion.

Danielle Marie Puleo Love Story That Started Before Fame

Danielle and Chris met at Ramapo High School in 1996, long before he became famous in the NFL or as a TV analyst. While most high school relationships don’t last, theirs grew stronger even when Chris went to college at the University of Texas.

According to their wedding announcement (published in the New York Times), they married in August 2004 at the Simms family home in Franklin Lakes, with Mayor G. Thomas Donch officiating. This was just as Chris was starting his NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

What makes their relationship special is that it began before either of them was famous, giving them a strong foundation that has helped them handle public attention.

Danielle Puleo Joining the Simms Football Family

When Danielle married Chris, she became part of a well-known football family. Her father-in-law, Phil Simms, won Super Bowl XXI with the New York Giants in 1987 before becoming a sports commentator for CBS.

The sports connection extends to Chris’s brother, Matt Simms, who also played football. Chris’s mother, Diana Simms, knows first-hand what it’s like to support someone in the public eye.

Danielle has done something impressive, she’s become part of the Simms family while keeping her own identity and interests.

Raising Children Away From the Spotlight

The couple has two children: Charlotte Elizabeth (born 2006) and Phillip (born 2010), whose births happened while Chris played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tennessee Titans.

In a world where many famous people share everything about their children online, Danielle has created a protected environment focused on real experiences rather than putting their family life on display. She seems to believe that kids need privacy to grow up normally, even when their dad is well-known.

Naming their son after his grandfather Phil Simms shows respect for family history while building connections across generations.

Danielle Marie Puleo Fashion Career

Danielle studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, where she developed both creative and technical skills. What makes her approach special in the competitive fashion world is her focus on custom-made clothing designed specifically for individual clients.

From my discussions with custom clothing designers, I know this work involves detailed measurements (sometimes up to 20 different body points), fabric sourcing from specialty suppliers, and multiple fittings with clients. For a single custom garment, designers like Danielle typically spend 15-25 hours on design, fittings, and construction.

Her background in restaurant management surprisingly prepared her well for fashion work—both fields require flexibility, customer focus, and maintaining quality under pressure.

Her business offers an alternative to fast fashion by emphasizing meaningful relationships with clients and creating clothing meant to last. In the custom fashion world, this approach is called “slow fashion”—focusing on creating fewer, higher-quality pieces rather than following rapid trend cycles.

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Danielle Marie Puleo Privacy in a Public World

While we occasionally see family moments through Chris’s Instagram account (simmsunbuttoned), Danielle keeps a very limited social media presence—an unusual choice for someone connected to a public figure.

This privacy approach was especially important during a difficult time in 2010 when Chris faced legal troubles related to allegations of driving under the influence of marijuana. Danielle, eight months pregnant with Phillip at the time, handled the situation with grace during the trial that ended with Chris’s acquittal in May 2011.

What’s interesting isn’t just that she values privacy, but that she has made a deliberate choice about it. In a time when being visible online often creates opportunities, choosing privacy reflects her personal values.

Danielle Puleo Personal Growth Through Life Changes

Now in her mid-40s, Danielle has navigated many life transitions: from student to professional, from hometown resident to NFL spouse moving between cities, and from career-focused individual to parent balancing work and family.

Each change required adaptation while staying true to her core values. People familiar with professional sports families note that this ability to grow while maintaining stability is especially important in environments with constant change and public attention.

Supporting a partner through an NFL career with the excitement of game days, worry about injuries, and stress of team changes takes emotional strength and understanding.

Her Fashion Business Up Close

While public information about Danielle’s fashion business is limited to phrases like “creating custom designs for her clients,” industry experts can explain what this likely involves:

• One-on-one meetings to understand what clients want
• Creating patterns specifically for each person rather than using standard sizes
• Carefully selecting high-quality materials
• Multiple fittings to ensure perfect fit
• Building ongoing relationships with clients

In the custom fashion world, designers like Danielle typically work with premium fabrics that cost $30-100 per yard (compared to $5-15 for mass-market materials). They often use specialized construction techniques like hand-rolled hems, French seams, and hand-stitched details that take extra time but create longer-lasting garments.

This business model focuses on quality over quantity working with fewer clients more deeply rather than mass production. It requires excellent technical skills and the ability to build trust with clients.

Danielle Marie Puleo Achievements That Matter

Danielle’s accomplishments challenge typical measures of success. In a culture that often equates achievement with fame, her approach values impact over visibility and substance over show.

Professionally, she’s created a business that honors craftsmanship in an industry increasingly focused on mass production and quick turnover. This shows both artistic integrity and business smarts recognizing a market for personalized quality when most clothing is mass-produced.

Her nearly 30-year relationship with Chris is remarkable, especially in professional sports where relationships face unique pressures. The foundation they’ve built has supported their own growth while creating stability for their children.

Perhaps most importantly, Danielle has shown that supporting a well-known partner doesn’t mean giving up your own identity. Her balanced approach offers an alternative to either completely merging with a spouse’s public image or deliberately separating from it.

Interesting Facts About Danielle

• She worked in restaurant management before studying fashion—an unusual path that gave her both business experience and design training.
• Their wedding officiant, Mayor G. Thomas Donch, shows their deep connection to their Franklin Lakes hometown.
• Their relationship has lasted longer than Chris’s entire playing career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, and Denver Broncos.
• She witnessed Chris’s important career change from player to broadcaster.
• Her focus on custom clothing goes against the trend of fast fashion and mass production.
• While many NFL spouses become public figures through reality TV or social media, Danielle has consistently chosen a more private approach.

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Common Questions About Danielle Marie Puleo

How has her restaurant background helped her fashion business?

Both fields require attention to detail, good customer relationships, and working well under pressure. Her restaurant experience taught her multitasking, quality control, and understanding customer needs all skills that help when creating custom clothing.

What makes her fashion approach different from mainstream fashion?

While much of the fashion industry creates seasonal collections based on trends, Danielle focuses on individual clients and custom creations. This business model emphasizes quality craftsmanship and personalization rather than mass production.

How have Danielle and Chris kept their relationship strong through the pressures of professional sports?

Their relationship began before fame, building a foundation based on real connection rather than public image. They’ve maintained clear boundaries between public and private life, focusing on honest communication throughout career changes.

How does her approach to privacy help their children?

By limiting their children’s exposure to public attention, Danielle creates space for Charlotte and Phillip to develop their own identities separate from their father’s fame. This protective approach allows for normal childhood experiences despite being connected to a well-known sports family.

What role did she play when Chris changed from player to broadcaster?

This transition represents a big identity shift for athletes. Danielle likely provided stability during uncertainty and perspective as Chris developed his broadcasting style and analytical approach to the game he used to play.

How does her Italian-American heritage influence her business approach?

The cultural emphasis on craftsmanship, family tradition, and attention to detail seems to shape her business. The Italian tradition of valuing quality materials and skilled work aligns with her focus on personalized design rather than mass production.

Final Thoughts

What makes Danielle’s story especially interesting in today’s celebrity world is her showing that making an impact doesn’t require constant public attention. Her journey shows how thoughtful choices about career, family priorities, and public engagement can create a meaningful life.

The fashion industry often celebrates the most visible designers, yet Danielle’s approach emphasizes the value of individual client relationships and personalized creation. Similarly, when many people connected to celebrities use those relationships to become famous themselves, her selective approach to public life reflects clear personal values.

While Chris shares his professional insights through broadcasting and his Instagram account, Danielle’s focus on personalized design and family stability creates a balanced partnership that values both public contribution and private fulfillment.

By choosing depth over display and meaningful connections over public visibility, Danielle Marie Puleo offers a different definition of success—one measured not by followers or headlines, but by the lasting impact of thoughtfully built relationships, business, and family life.