Cincinnati Bengals player Dalton Risner and his wife, Whitney Risner, have announced the loss of their baby boy at 16 weeks.
The couple shared the heartbreaking news in a joint Instagram post on July 17. Whitney explained that the miscarriage marked their second pregnancy loss within several months.
“At 16 weeks, Dalton and I found out we lost our sweet baby boy,” Whitney wrote alongside photographs documenting her pregnancy.
The couple had announced in June that they were expecting their first child together.
Whitney Risner Opened Up About Their Heartbreak
Whitney told followers she never expected her journey to motherhood to begin with consecutive losses.
“I wish I was writing any other post than this right now,” she wrote. “I never imagined our journey to starting a family would begin like this.”
Whitney said the miscarriage introduced her to a level of grief she had never experienced. In addition to mourning their son, she was grieving the future she had imagined for their family.
Although she remains uncertain about what comes next, Whitney said she continues to rely on her faith and her husband.
“More than ever, I’ve realized how important it is who you marry and choose to walk through life with,” she wrote. “I truly can’t imagine getting through this without my rock and best friend.”
The Couple Announced Their Pregnancy in June
Dalton and Whitney revealed their pregnancy through an emotional Instagram video featuring sonogram images and messages recorded for their future children.
“We have prayed for this,” they captioned the announcement. “Half of me + half of my favorite person in the whole world!”
The couple told their unborn child they could not wait to meet him later in the year.
Whitney included images from the announcement in the couple’s pregnancy-loss post. She explained that sharing her life online meant allowing followers to see both joyful milestones and moments that left her heartbroken.
She also offered support to others experiencing pregnancy loss. “If you’re walking this same painful road, I want you to know that you are not alone,” Whitney concluded.
How Did Dalton and Whitney Risner Meet?
Dalton and Whitney met while he was vacationing at the Lake of the Ozarks, where her parents had a home and she was working a summer job.
Dalton was 23 at the time, while Whitney was 20. He was preparing to begin his NFL career after playing college football at Kansas State.
The pair continued dating as Dalton entered the league. The Denver Broncos selected him in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Dalton and Whitney married in Aurora, Colorado, in June 2022. Whitney later gained a large social media following by sharing glimpses of their marriage and life as an NFL couple.
Dalton began his professional career with the Broncos before playing for the Minnesota Vikings. He joined the Bengals in 2025 and re-signed with the team in March 2026.
Throughout the transitions in his football career, Whitney regularly documented her support for her husband online.
