Exclusive: Antonio Cromartie Says Transition From Football to Stay-at-Home Dad Has Been ‘Simple’

Trading in playing football for chaperoning his kids’ field trips hasn’t been as hard you might expect for Antonio Cromartie.

The former New York Jets player, who stars in the USA Network reality series The Cromarties alongside wife Terricka and their six children, announced he was retiring from the NFL in March after spending the 2017 season out of the game.

In The Cromarties, which premieres its new season Tuesday, May 8 at 10:30 ET, fans will get to watch him as he leaves the game behind and focuses on being a family man — sometimes at the expense of his family’s nerves, the couple tells PopCulture.com exclusively prior to the premiere.

“To be honest, I used to really want him home,” Terricka tells PopCulture. “I used to feel like he was missing so much being away. And I am enjoying him at home, but sometimes I wish he was back on the field!”

She explains, laughing. “He’s just always in my business! He wants to know what I ordered, and what money was spent where … I’m like, ‘Dude! You really weren’t worried about this when you were at work. Maybe you need to get a job.”

Antonio admits his wife is telling the truth, adding that even his kids are pestering him to get a new gig. “I’m a little more strict,” he tells PopCulture. “They tell me on a weekly basis that I need to get a job.”

But for right now, he’s enjoying getting to spend that time pestering his family after years on the road, especially having spent the majority of the last two years off the field.

“The transition for me has been simple,” he tells PopCulture, adding that retirement simply made the end of his years as an NFL player “real.”

“I’ve always wanted to be a family man, to be able to take my kids to school and go on field trips as a chaperon,” the father of 14 continues. “Seeing my kids grow up is always something that I wanted to experience, and I’m having a lot of fun with it.”

Eventually, Antonio says he’d like to get into coaching, but right now is focusing on family and looking into part-time work as a broadcaster.

“One thing I have a lot of passion for is coaching, but if I go into coaching now, it’s gonna take a little more time,” he tells PopCulture. “Right now, I’m trying to get into broadcasting, where I can work two or three days out of the week and then be back home during the rest of the week so I can go to the kids’ activities and do certain things with them during the week.”

As for Terricka? Having a stay-at-home husband has opened up a world of opportunities, which she says fans will get to see her explore this season.

“Because Antonio’s at home now, I get to do me a little more,” she tells PopCulture, adding that no longer being pregnant has also contributed to getting out and about. “He can be home and be daddy daycare, and I can go out and have more fun.”

Don’t miss The Cromarties season premiere on USA Network Tuesday, May 8 at 10:30 ET.

Photo credit: USA