Lainey Wilson and her fiancé, former NFL quarterback Devlin “Duck” Hodges, are proving that sometimes the best way to handle rumors is with laughter.
After a string of bizarre AI-generated photos and headlines suggested the couple had secretly gotten married and welcomed a baby, the two took to social media with a series of playful videos to set the record straight. Instead of issuing a stiff statement, Wilson and Hodges leaned into their signature humor — turning gossip into comedy gold.
Laughing Off the Gossip
The rumors first took off after fake AI images began circulating online, falsely claiming that the beloved country couple had tied the knot and started a family. On July 17, following Wilson’s Tough As Nails Country Music Hall of Fame exhibit opening, Hodges posted a lighthearted Instagram Story alongside his fiancée. In the clip, he jokingly asked her: “Did we get married?” and “Are we having a baby?” Wilson, laughing, simply replied, “No.”
A few days later, Hodges doubled down with another video — this time in black and white — directly addressing the AI-generated gossip. “Attention to those who make AI photos regarding our wedding, marriage, and whatever other BS that comes out. Sincerely, the couple who hasn’t had a wedding or kids yet,” he wrote in the caption.
Filming from behind the camera, Wilson teased her fiancé by asking, “What are you gonna tell AI?” to which Hodges quipped: “If you’re gonna put out stuff about us, at least make us look good. We look like sht.”*
A Love Story Still Unfolding
While the AI rumors were nothing more than digital fiction, Wilson and Hodges’ real love story is unfolding beautifully. The pair first met in Nashville in 2021 through mutual friends and shared their first date at Silverado Dance Hall & Saloon — a bar that has since closed but holds special meaning for them. “They had free beer and wine from 5 to 10 p.m.,” Wilson recalled with a laugh. “I was like, ‘This boy likes to ball on a budget too. This is gonna work out.’”
At the time, Hodges was playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers, while Wilson was just starting to make waves in country music. They dated privately for more than two years before stepping into the spotlight together at the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards in May 2023.
Since then, they’ve moved in together, gotten engaged, supported each other’s careers, and walked numerous red carpets side by side.
Wedding Plans (Eventually)
Engaged for just under two months, Wilson admits she and Hodges haven’t started planning their wedding yet. “We haven’t even sat down and talked about it, but we will soon. It’ll probably be something very, very simple,” she shared.
The singer also jokes that since Hodges made her wait four years for a ring, she might just make him wait a little before walking down the aisle. “He made me wait, so I’m gonna make him wait before we plan this thing,” Wilson told Country Living.
A Career in Full Bloom
While wedding bells may be a ways off, Wilson’s career is in full bloom. She recently released her new single “Somewhere Over Laredo,” is preparing to kick off her massive Whirlwind World Tour overseas in March 2026, and just opened her Lainey Wilson: Tough As Nails exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame — which runs through June 2026. On top of that, she launched her own Western footwear line, Golden West Boots.
For Wilson and Hodges, life is busy, joyful, and exciting — with or without AI-fueled rumors.
