What you need to know
Amari Thomas, the fiancée of Los Angeles Rams rookie defensive tackle Ty Hamilton, has always had mixed feelings about the term “WAG.”
“I didn’t really like the word. I think it had a negative connotation,” Thomas, 23, tells PEOPLE. “Every time I heard that word, I cringed. But I slowly realized that it really was just my wife and girlfriend. To me, it’s so much more than that. I don’t think people realize how much we do behind the scenes.”
After years away from labels, the influencer “jumped full throttle into the WAG platform.”
Amari
Recently, Thomas created a TikTok series called “Unfiltered WAG Diary” where he shares insights about his life and relationships.
“I’ve always been an independent person and I’m so blessed to have a partner who allows me to be who I am, but we complement each other so well that we can use this platform as our own,” says Thomas.
Thomas, 23, and Hamilton have been together since they were teenagers. Last year, Hamilton won the College Football Playoff national championship with Ohio State before being drafted by the Rams.
Amari
New to the Rams community, Thomas and Hamilton are adjusting to the transition from college to pro football and the challenges that come with it, from new teammates to moving to a new city and finding new friends.
“You’re in a community with so many different people coming and going. It’s really not for the weak,” Thomas shares. “You’re constantly thrown into different situations, so you have to be able to truly meet different people and form unique social relationships.”
Over the years, Thomas has found his WAG style, leaning into customized pieces with Hamilton’s name and number.
“I started doing it and really fell in love with being able to represent him in a way. And I remember going to games and people were looking at me like crazy, I was overdressed, and people were like, ‘Why is she wearing heels? Why is she wearing his number?’ It made me really happy and it made Ty happy too,” she said.
Thomas said it was great to have a “self-consciousness” and a way to “express” himself while immersed in a “football-driven world”.
In fact, Hamilton joins in on the fun, and she says they often brainstorm costumes together.
Amari
“So we get together after the game and say, ‘Hey, guys, what do you think of your outfit?’” It’s great to see it all come together and the page that tracks WAG outfits post me and he sends it to me. And it’s really cute to see how cooperative he is,” Thomas explains.
“It’s something he’s really passionate about and I love seeing him interested in things other than football. I think that’s really important,” she added. “He’s driven to find clothes for himself because he’s finally found what he likes. It’s what inspired other great people to realize that they too can wear clothes. We get together and look for clothes, and it’s fun because it’s another bonding moment.”
Both Hamilton and Thomas will be at their best in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game against the Seattle Seahawks.
No matter how big the match, Thomas always tries to remain “very calm” and said that “as long as I stay nervous before the match, I’ll be fine.”
“For me, that means getting up and walking the dog or doing little things,” she says. “Then we have a tailgate for everyone to go to, which is really fun. We have a pregame tailgate hosted by the Rams. We get to see a lot of family and friends, so that’s our gathering spot.”
Amari
But when it comes to the playoffs, she admitted, “I’ve powered up a little bit.”
“We get on party buses and sprinters and get ready together and have pre-games at bars near the stadium, which we really enjoy,” Thomas says.
Despite the ups and downs of professional sports, Thomas says his bond with Hamilton has remained stable through it all.
“We’ve been together for a long time and learned each other inside and out. I feel like I was given this role specifically to be a great partner for him and vice versa,” she tells PEOPLE. “We balance each other out.”
“On the football field, I’ve supported him and he’s my biggest fan. With everything that’s going on in the WAG world, he’s always told me how proud he is.”
