Tez Johnson’s girlfriend, Laila Thompson-Wainer, balances football fame with a thriving career.
Highlights
- Tez Johnson overcame early hardship, including his father’s suicide and growing up in subsidized housing, to become a standout college football receiver who declared for the 2025 NFL draft.
- Johnson’s connection with the Nix family was transformative – they took him in at age 15, and he later reunited with Bo Nix at Oregon, where they continued their successful football partnership.
- Laila Thompson-Wainer, Johnson’s girlfriend, has built an impressive career in sports marketing and entertainment, working with major organizations like the Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Kraken while pursuing her passion for creating engaging fan experiences.
In recent years, Keyonteze “Tez” Johnson has emerged as one of college football’s most promising wide receivers.
Born on May 18, 2002, in Birmingham, Alabama, Johnson’s journey to football success comes with a compelling backstory.
After losing his father to suicide as an infant, Johnson grew up in government-subsidized housing in Pinson, Alabama.
His life took a significant turn at age 15 when he was taken in by the family of quarterback Bo Nix, whose father Pat coached Johnson’s high school football team.
At Pinson Valley High School, Johnson became a standout player alongside Bo Nix, helping the team clinch the class 6A state championship.
His high school career was marked by impressive achievements, including a first-team all-state selection as a junior when he recorded 106 receptions for 1,457 yards and 10 touchdowns.
In one remarkable game, he made 17 catches for 247 yards and three touchdowns, the eighth-most catches in a game in Alabama state history.
As a senior, Johnson caught 62 passes for 1,140 yards and 12 touchdowns, earning an invitation to the prestigious Alabama–Mississippi All-Star Game.
Johnson began his college career at Troy University in 2020, where he quickly established himself as the team’s leading receiver.
By 2021, he recorded 67 catches for 735 yards and four touchdowns, earning third-team All-Sun Belt Conference honors.
He continued his upward trajectory in 2022 with 56 receptions for 863 yards.
Following the 2022 season, Johnson transferred to the Oregon Ducks, reuniting with his adoptive brother Bo Nix, who was the team’s starting quarterback.
At Oregon, Johnson flourished as the team’s second-leading receiver behind Troy Franklin, helping the Ducks reach the 2023 Pac-12 Conference title game.
In the 2024 season, Johnson’s talents were on full display as he recorded 83 receptions for 898 yards and 10 touchdowns across 12 games.
On January 6, 2025, Johnson took the next step in his football journey by declaring for the 2025 NFL draft.
Tez Johnson’s Girlfriend, Laila Thompson-Wainer, Excels In Sports Media And Marketing
While Tez Johnson’s on-field accomplishments have garnered attention, his personal life has also become a subject of interest, particularly his relationship with Laila Thompson-Wainer.
Thompson-Wainer, a University of Washington graduate, has built an impressive resume in sports media and marketing while Johnson has been making waves on the football field.
Thompson-Wainer completed her Bachelor of Arts in Communication with minors in Business and Diversity from the University of Washington in March 2024.
During her time at the university, she was actively involved in UW Athletics and was a member of the Chi Omega Sorority.
Her academic journey also included international educational experiences through CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange) in Rome, Italy and Cape Town, South Africa in early 2023.
Thompson-Wainer’s professional career demonstrates her passion for sports entertainment and marketing.
She has been an Entertainment Assistant with the Seattle Kraken since September 2023.
In this role, she supports the gameday director with on-ice and in-arena promotions and presentations, coordinates with in-arena hosts for live elements and special guest appearances, and prepares promotional items and props for fan entertainment.
Her experience in the sports industry extends beyond her current role.
Thompson-Wainer completed a Game Entertainment Internship with the Seattle Seahawks from August 2024 to January 2025, following a Marketing Internship with the same organization from March to August 2024.
She also gained valuable experience as a Matchday Assistant with Seattle Reign FC and as a Sports Marketing and Gameday Promotions Intern with the University of Washington Intercollegiate Athletics for nearly two years.
During her time with UW Athletics, Thompson-Wainer assisted in executing game presentations and fan experience elements at various sporting events, including football, basketball, soccer, and volleyball games.
Her responsibilities included booking halftime entertainment and national anthem singers, coordinating on-field and on-court promotions, and working with spirit teams and videoboard staff.
Her talent and dedication earned her a promotion to stage manager and in-game caller.
Thompson-Wainer has also demonstrated versatility in her career path, taking on roles such as an NIL Store Social Media Ambassador for Campus Ink, where she promoted the University of Washington NIL Store through daily social media posts and helped recruit athletes to join the platform.
She briefly served as a Single-Match Stage Manager for OL Reign in September 2023.
Beyond sports, Thompson-Wainer has built a diverse work history that includes retail experience as a Sales Associate at The North Face, childcare work at Teddy Bears Loving Care, and roles as a lifeguard at Windermere Beach Club and a summer camp counselor at Songadeewin Of Keewaydin in Vermont.
On her professional profile, Thompson-Wainer describes herself as someone aiming “to deliver inclusive, expansive, and immersive entertainment experiences to worldwide audiences.” She notes her “strong passion for the global sports industry” and highlights her abilities to “generate creative ideas, develop strategic plans, and execute the details.“
Additional Information
- During his impressive junior year at Pinson Valley High School, Johnson’s 17-catch game was historically significant, ranking as the eighth-most catches in a single game in Alabama state history.
- Before transferring to Oregon, Johnson had already established himself as an accomplished receiver at Troy, earning honorable mention all-conference recognition in his final season there.
- Johnson’s bond with quarterback Bo Nix spans both personal and professional realms – after being taken in by Nix’s family as a teenager, they later reunited as teammates at Oregon when both transferred to the program.
