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Hailey Louise Williams has been with NFL star Leonard Williams for 11 yearsHailey, a breathwork facilitator and meditation leader, talks to PEOPLE about their relationship, her career and how they support each other both on and off the field”It’s really not about the wins or the losses. Football is about him showing his talents and growing as an athlete and player,” she says

Hailey Louise Williams has been by husband Leonard Williams’ side throughout his entire NFL career.

The couple has been together for almost 11 years, having met at the University of Southern California. Throughout their relationship, the 31-year-old defensive end has played for the New York Jets, the New York Giants, and his current team, the Seattle Seahawks.

As they’ve grown through their own careers, they’ve found different ways to support each other. Hailey, a meditation teacher, tells PEOPLE their pre-game ritual almost always involves breathwork.

“Breathwork in season is the biggest practice that we’ll do together,” the 34-year-old shares. “There’s so much he’s managing, and breathwork is an easy way for him to access that center of peace.”

Hailey Louise Williams and Leonard Williams in Seattle.

Hailey Louise Williams

“Some games we’ll do it before; it’s not every game, but once a week, we’ll practice so that he can center himself,” she continues. “It’s great for me because football is crazy, and we’re both managing a lot of schedules, family travel.”

Given their hectic schedules during the season, especially in the playoffs, she notes that it’s an easy, quick way to center themselves and be present in the moment.

“What that will look like is really just spending like five minutes, it doesn’t have to be long, just focusing on our breath and noticing how our breath is moving in our body and just bringing some present awareness to our true experience rather than the craziness of what football brings,” she says.

Their game-day routine looks nearly identical every week, from breathwork to eating the same breakfast. Once she helps Leonard get ready and he heads out the door, she takes time for herself, focusing on keeping her nerves at bay.

“The ride to the stadium is another opportunity for me to center my breath,” Hailey says. “I’m very quiet on the way to the stadium. My family knows that if they’re in town, we’re not talking, we are just breathing, we are quiet, we’re centering ourselves.”

“We get to the stadium an hour and a half early to see my husband on the sidelines. I pray for him. I always have a very quiet, intentional, calm and grounding energy,” she adds. “I try to emanate and radiate a calming, grounding sense because I know that that is what he needs going into such a high-intensity environment.”

Hailey Louise Williams holding a breathwork workshop.

Hailey Louise Williams

Aside from just helping her husband, Hailey also shares her breathwork techniques with other players’ partners on the team to help them stay calm on game days and beyond. In fact, Hailey works within the NFL organization on the Seahawks’ Women’s Association board. There, she holds workshops and classes on grounding, meditation and breathwork for those interested, which helps her feel more connected to the team and organization as a whole.

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After spending most of his career in New York, Leonard was traded to the Seahawks in October 2023. This is just the second time the star defensive player has made it to the playoffs, and Hailey notes that playing for so many different organizations over the years has changed her perspective on success.

Hailey Louise Williams and Leonard Williams.

Hailey Louise Williams

While it may be tempting to reduce everything to wins and losses, Hailey, who is pregnant with the couple’s first child, is simply happy to see her husband pursue his dreams of playing professional football.

“What that means to me is it’s not about winning for us. It’s about him being able to do what he loves, glorify God, and showcase his talents and skills,” she shares. “I just go to the games excited to see what he’s gonna do, what the team is gonna do, and whether it’s a win or a loss, that’s not really the important thing for me. He needs to be able to shine in his own way.” 

She admits, however, that when she was younger, she was “more attached” to the outcome of the games.

“When the losses would happen, it would not feel good,” she says. “My husband has had such a long career, and I realized it’s really not about that. It’s really not about the wins or the losses. Football is about him showing his talents and growing as an athlete and player.”

“A few years ago, I realized it wasn’t about the wins and losses,” she continues. “That really changed our perspective on losses as opportunities to be like, ‘Okay, how can we grow? And what are we learning? What’s the lesson here, and how can we get better?’ ”

Still, Hailey, whose dad is Super Bowl-winning safety Ronnie Lott, says she is “really excited” for Sunday’s NFC Championship game against the Los Angeles Rams, with the winner punching their ticket to the Super Bowl.

Hailey Louise Williams speaking at a Seahawks event.

Hailey Louise Williams

“I trust whatever God has planned for us, and I feel really excited to be able to watch my husband just do what he loves and have fun,” she says. “No matter what, it’s such a blessing to be in this position and being at this game, I think it’s just gonna be one of those moments we’ll never forget, of ‘You are actually in this championship, and we’re here.’ ”

“He’s worked for 11 years for this, so I can’t wait to be there and feel the energy of Lumen Field. Our fans are the best, and it’s gonna be fun. I’m excited.”