Brittney McNorton is a former Detroit Lions marketing executive and the wife of NFL Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson. She worked her way from intern to Senior Manager of Promotions, managing a $12 million partnership portfolio before leaving the organization in 2018 to focus on family and business ventures.
Most people recognize Brittney McNorton as the woman standing beside Calvin “Megatron” Johnson at Hall of Fame ceremonies and charity events. But reducing her to a supporting role misses the decade-long career she built in professional sports marketing. Long before she became Mrs. Johnson, Brittney carved out her own path in the competitive world of NFL business operations.
Professional Background and Detroit Lions Career
Brittney started with the Detroit Lions as a Premium Suite Sales intern in July 2008, just weeks after graduating from Michigan State University. The timing placed her at Ford Field during Calvin Johnson’s second season with the team. Her initial responsibilities centered on renewing multi-year suite contracts and managing relationships with the organization’s premium seating clients.
Within six months, she earned a promotion to Assistant in Sponsorship & Suite Sales. This position expanded her scope to include facilitating corporate marketing initiatives for over 100 partners, from small Michigan businesses to Fortune 500 companies. The role required juggling diverse client needs while coordinating with multiple internal departments.
By 2012, she moved into the Manager of Partnership Activation role for both the Lions and Ford Field. This position put her in charge of developing sales proposals for the team’s $12 million marketing portfolio. She created targeted campaigns designed to expand market presence for Lions sponsors, managed top-grossing sponsorship accounts, and worked to leverage partnerships for additional marketing spend.
Her experiential marketing expertise became most visible when she transitioned to Promotions Manager in 2014. The job centered on creating immersive game-day experiences that blended brand messaging with fan engagement. She oversaw promotional campaigns from concept through execution, ensuring sponsor needs aligned with fan experience goals.
In February 2016, Brittney advanced to Senior Manager of Promotions. This role gave her leadership over large-scale event planning and promotional logistics across the Lions organization. She coordinated with department heads, managed promotional staff, and developed long-term strategies to enhance the Lions’ brand in the Detroit market.
She left the Detroit Lions organization in 2018 after building a reputation as one of the more effective experiential marketers in NFL front offices. Colleagues noted her ability to manage complex stakeholder relationships while maintaining the creative vision needed for successful promotional campaigns.
Education and Early Foundation
Brittney attended Michigan State University from 2004 to 2008, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media Studies with a Public Relations specialization. Her college years went beyond classroom learning. She served as President of the Delta Zeta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., a position that required coordinating chapter activities, managing budgets, and representing the organization at campus events.
She also held a leadership position as Secretary of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, which oversees historically Black fraternities and sororities on campus. This role developed her skills in cross-organization communication and event coordination.
Her membership in the Public Relations Student Society of America connected her with industry professionals and provided early exposure to PR career paths. These campus experiences built the foundation for her future work in corporate communications and partnership management.
The combination of formal education and practical leadership experience prepared her for the corporate environment she would enter at the Lions. Her communication skills and understanding of organizational dynamics became clear advantages in her early professional roles.
Family Heritage and Personal Background
Born in March 1986, Brittney Roschele McNorton grew up in Southfield, Michigan, a Detroit suburb. Her parents, Bruce Edward McNorton and Rosalind McNorton, raised her with an understanding of professional sports that most people only see from the outside.
Her father played cornerback for the Detroit Lions during the 1980s, giving Brittney an insider perspective on NFL culture from childhood. Growing up in a football family meant understanding the business side of the sport, the demands on players, and the role organizations play in the broader Detroit community.
This background proved valuable when she entered the Lions organization herself. She understood locker room culture, player-front office dynamics, and the unique pressures that come with working in professional sports. Her father’s career also established an existing connection to the organization that would later define much of her professional life.
The family’s roots in Southfield kept Brittney connected to the Detroit area throughout her education and early career. This local connection reinforced her commitment to the Lions organization and the Detroit community.
Relationship with Calvin Johnson
How They Met and Early Connection
Brittney and Calvin’s paths crossed in the summer of 2008 at Lions training camp. She was working at the front desk, managing administrative tasks for the organization. Calvin was entering his second season as the team’s star wide receiver.
The introduction came with a backstory that Brittney learned about years later. Lions wide receiver Roy Williams made a $100 bet with Calvin, wagering that he wouldn’t approach Brittney after practice. Calvin took the bet, won the money, and started a conversation that would eventually lead to marriage.
Brittney noticed Calvin kept throwing passes in her direction during practice sessions. She assumed he was showing off his skills. Only later did she discover he was trying to get her attention as part of the ongoing bet with Williams.
Their relationship developed slowly over the following years. Both focused on their respective roles with the Lions organization. The professional setting meant they saw each other regularly but kept things casual initially.
They reconnected in Miami when Brittney reached out about a trip to Atlanta. Calvin mentioned he was heading to Miami instead. The timing worked perfectly as Brittney was also planning to be there for her birthday. The Miami reunion marked a turning point in their relationship.
Marriage and Family Life
Calvin proposed in March 2015 at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor during the Ed Block Courage Awards. The engagement drew media attention, with sports outlets covering the news and Brittney’s elegant ring becoming a topic of discussion.
They married on June 4, 2016, in an intimate ceremony in Metro Detroit. The wedding brought together close family, friends, and Calvin’s NFL peers. The couple kept most details private, consistent with Brittney’s preference for maintaining boundaries between public and private life.
The couple now has three sons together: Caleb, Calvin III, and Carter. Calvin also has a son from a previous relationship with Shallyn Blanton, creating a blended family dynamic. Brittney’s role as stepmother added another dimension to her family responsibilities.
The family relocated to Atlanta after Calvin retired from professional football. The move allowed them to establish roots outside the Detroit area while remaining connected to the Lions organization through various partnerships and appearances.
Calvin’s 2021 induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame became a family milestone. Brittney stood alongside him during the ceremony, and their children participated in the celebration. The Lions honored Calvin with a special halftime ceremony during a 2021 game, with Brittney and the family present for the recognition.
Life Beyond the Spotlight
Brittney plays an active role in the Calvin Johnson Jr. Foundation, which focuses on youth empowerment, education, and healthy lifestyle promotion. The foundation supports programs in Detroit and Atlanta, reflecting the family’s connections to both cities.
She and Calvin have ventured into business together, including involvement with Primitiv Group, a cannabis company. This reflects their interest in wellness and health-focused industries following Calvin’s retirement and his public discussions about using cannabis for pain management.
Brittney continues her commitment to mentoring through organizations like Women of Tomorrow. This work aligns with her background in youth development and her interest in supporting the next generation of young women.
Her social media presence remains minimal by celebrity standards. She maintains an Instagram account (@b_roschele) but shares selectively, focusing on family moments and foundation work rather than daily updates. This approach reflects her long-standing preference for privacy over public attention.
She has successfully balanced the visibility that comes with being married to an NFL legend while maintaining her own identity. Rather than pursuing celebrity status or media opportunities, she has focused on substantive work in philanthropy and business.
Calvin spoke publicly about Dancing with the Stars in 2016, where Brittney supported him from the audience throughout the competition. They finished third in the finals. The experience gave the public a rare glimpse into their relationship dynamic and her role as his supporter.
The couple’s approach to public life centers on selective engagement. They appear at charitable events, foundation functions, and occasions that honor Calvin’s career, but they avoid the celebrity circuit. This strategy allows them to maintain influence in causes they care about without sacrificing family privacy.
Brittney’s career trajectory from Lions intern to senior marketing executive, combined with her current philanthropic work, demonstrates a consistent focus on meaningful contribution over public recognition. She built her professional reputation on results rather than visibility, a pattern that continues in her post-Lions life.
