Although Eric Dickerson and his long-term partner, Penny Sutton Dickerson, have not officially confirmed their marital status, Penny has adopted the star athlete’s surname.
Hailing from Sealy, Texas, Eric Demetric Dickerson is a former NFL running back. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons.
Veteran NFL running back Eric Dickerson is currently in a long-term relationship with Penny Sutton Dickerson.
Before being selected second overall in the 1983 NFL draft by the Los Angeles Rams, Dickerson played college football for the Mustangs of Southern Methodist University.
He also played for other notable teams in the league, including the Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Raiders, and Atlanta Falcons.
Eric Dickerson Did Not Acknowledge His Daughter He Had With His Ex-Fiancée, Rea Ann Silva!
However, before Penny, Dickerson was engaged to Rea Ann Silva. Dickerson’s relationship with his ex-fiancée was tumultuous and had a bitter ending.
He and Silva share one daughter, Erica Dickerson, who became an actress.
Erica began her career as a child model, appearing in ads for many advertising campaigns for brands such as Macy’s and Levi’s.
However, the former NFL great refused to accept Erica as his daughter, even claiming his ex-fiancée was lying.
Therefore, the former couple was involved in a high-profile paternity suit in the late 1980s over their daughter, Erica Dickerson.
The primary issue in the dispute between Eric Dickerson and Rea Ann Silva was a paternity claim.
Silva had sued Dickerson, stating that he was the father of her kid. Nevertheless, Dickerson contested that allegation, describing it as Silva’s effort to “cash in” on his fame and money.
Silva filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court in 1987, demanding $7,500 per month in medical bills from Dickerson.
She was expecting her baby in November 1987 and said that Dickerson had failed to pay her medical expenses since they ended their engagement a month ago.
Then, she claimed that Dickerson raided her North Hollywood residence on June 2, put a gun to her head, and then chased Silva down the street.
Furthermore, Silva also stated that Dickerson had left a threatening message on her answering machine.
However, Dickerson provided a substantially different depiction of their relationship.
He stated that while he was in a serious relationship with Silva for about two years, he disagreed that they were engaged.
Meanwhile, Dickerson declared Silva his fiancée on a May 25 taping of the Oprah Winfrey Show.
According to the former NFL star, his visit to her residence lasted about 10 minutes to retrieve a car he lent Silva and some of his possessions.
Furthermore, he attributed his gun possession to Silva living in a risky neighborhood and a history of car burglary.
Although Silva claimed that the pair wanted to have children, Dickerson alleged that she became pregnant on purpose by halting birth control consumption.
Dickerson suggested that if he turned out to be the child’s father, he would be okay with accepting full responsibility for the child.
However, he believed the pregnancy was a trap, as was another story about a woman looking for money.
By upholding Dickerson’s fatherhood and mandating that he pay child support, the court decided in Silva’s favor.
Despite the court dispute, Dickerson subsequently acknowledged Erica and has remained active in her life.
Likewise, Erica has talked highly about her father, highlighting the bond they’ve built over the years.
Besides her high-profile relationship and feud with a star athlete, Rea Ann Silva is a successful lady.
She is the creator of the Beauty Blender makeup application sponge and the founder and CEO of the Beauty Blender company.
Following her turbulent affair with Eric Dickerson, Silva married Rory Nix, with whom she has a son.
Eric Dickerson Refers To His Present Partner As His ‘Wifey’
The former NFL star Eric Dickerson also found love again in Penny Sutton Dickerson.
Although the couple has not officially confirmed their marital status, Penny has adopted the star athlete’s surname.
While Eric refers to Penny as his ‘wifey,’ there remains no official announcement of their marriage.
Speculations of a secret marriage have surfaced, but neither side has responded. Hence, it remains unclear if they are married.
Penny Sutton and Eric Dickerson have welcomed two children, Keri and Dallis Dickerson.
Likewise, Eric frequently shares glimpses of his time with his children and Penny, showcasing their beautiful bond.
Besides being a supportive partner, Penny Sutton has also established her career.
Her LinkedIn profile states that she earned a bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Indianapolis.
Likewise, Sutton began working at Maven Cosmetics as the West Coast Regional Executive in 2002.
Then, she became the owner of Premier Events by P&D. Moreover, she has been a Visionary at Dickerson Sports Mgmt & OMJ, Inc. since 2004.
Likewise, she is also the owner of PL Design. While Penny has not disclosed her wealth, she has an estimated net worth of $300K.
Over the years, Penny Sutton has become a dependable companion for the former NFL legend Eric Dickerson.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Eric Dickerson’s great-aunt and great-uncle, Viola and Kary Dickerson, raised him. He spent his early years assuming Viola was his mother.
- Dickerson wore prescription goggles throughout his career due to myopia.
- He established the NFL’s single-season running record of 2,105 yards in 1984.
