Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. has been busy this year. He got engaged just last month to his longtime girlfriend, Anabella Campagna, and now the couple is all set for an even bigger chapter. Stingley, usually private about his personal life, surprised fans recently when his fiancée took to Instagram to announce that the couple is expecting their first child.

“Baby Boy, Mom and Dad love you so much already, it can’t even be explained…,” wrote Anabella Campagna in the caption of her Instagram post on November 25, “Forever and More. April can’t come fast enough🥰💙.”

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The post also included a warm, fourteen-photo carousel that captured the couple in the kind of glow only first-time parents know. Most of the pictures showed Derek Stingley Jr. standing behind Anabella on a grand staircase, holding her gently as she cradled her growing bump. In a few shots, they displayed a strip of ultrasound photos. 

The photos felt soft, intimate, and full of quiet excitement. Some images showed Derek leaning in for a kiss as Anabella smiled with the ultrasound strip in hand. Other frames froze the couple in those tender moments that make you pause and realize how much life changes in a single year. 

The Texans CB then also lit up his fiancée’s pregnancy reveal post with the cutest response. He commented with a GIF that showed a grinning father carrying his child on his shoulders. The child was also waving a yellow toy excavator while the father beamed with happiness. It perfectly captured how excited the CB is for the birth of baby Stingley. 

For a player known for shutting down receivers, seeing Stingley Jr. melt into new-dad mode was a sweet contrast. And the Texans’ CB did not just announce the pregnancy – he also revealed the due month too. Their baby boy is expected to arrive in April. That detail added a countdown-like energy to the post. 

You have to wonder: how is Derek juggling the intensity of an NFL season with the excitement of becoming a father? If anything, the news only amplifies the joy surrounding his life right now. Fans will remember that the couple had another milestone recently. In October, during the Texans’ bye week, Stingley and Anabella got engaged. 

“ 10•10•25 The most perfect day to say yes for forever❤️,” wrote Derek Stingley in the caption of his post after he got engaged.

The carousel of photos with that post showed Derek Stingley kneeling in front of Anabella with a bold diamond ring, the elongated stone placed on a gold band. The scene unfolded outdoors, and every photo highlighted the joy of the couple. This moment also came just after the pair celebrated their second anniversary. The couple began dating in 2023 and have marked every milestone with genuine affection ever since.

Derek Stingley, now 24, often mentions how much his close-knit support system means to him. His parents, his fiancée, and now the little life on the way – all of it seems to push him forward. Could that be part of why he’s shining so brightly this season? It certainly feels like his personal and professional worlds are aligning in the best way.

Derek Stingley Jr. has become the CB1 for the Texans’ defense 

Derek Stingley Jr. has stepped firmly into the CB1 role for the Texans with the confidence everyone hoped to see. He had a breakout 2024 campaign with 37 solo tackles, 17 games. He even earned his first Pro Bowl and a massive three-year, $90 million extension. But this season, he has raised the bar even higher.

So far this season, Derek has played with maturity that has anchored the entire Texans defense. In 11 games, he has posted 19 solo tackles, 6 assists, and 3 interceptions. And according to cornerback coach Dino Vasso, Stingley’s closing speed sets him apart. 

“He doesn’t intentionally bait quarterbacks and receivers, but if there is some separation, he has the ability to close that pretty quickly,” said Vasso. “He gets to top speed extremely quick – probably faster than anybody I’ve been around.”

So, if the ball goes up, Derek Stingley has attacked it like no one else in the league this season. He has become the cornerback the Texans needed in their defense. And now with excitement building at home and on the field, you have to wonder: what else is left for Stingley to achieve?