Reality star Monique Samuels and her husband Chris had separated after having three kids and being married for 10 years. But according to Monique, this news was completely false.
Just hours after the report, Monique jumped on Instagram with Chris by her side to shut down the rumors. She even showed off her massive diamond ring to prove her point.
Let’s clear up a few things. At RRG, we’re more than just about gossip; we make sure to use credible news sources in our videos. People magazine is one of our trusted sources because their news typically comes straight from a celebrity’s PR team. So, when People magazine announced that Monique and Chris had separated, we took it seriously and started gathering information for a new video. But when Monique called out the magazine for lying, we were confused. People magazine rarely gets it wrong, and as of this video, they haven’t retracted the story about Monique and Chris, which means they stand by their information.
So, while we’re super happy that Monique and Chris are still together and working on their marriage, we can’t ignore all the signs that things might not be as perfect as they seem
Let’s take a trip down memory lane. Chris Samuels, who’s from Mobile, Alabama, has always had these prophetic dreams. One of his biggest dreams was being drafted by the Washington Redskins, and guess what? It came true when they picked him as their third overall choice in the 2000 draft. As he worked on becoming a top offensive tackle, his vivid dreams kept coming. Three years into his career in Washington, he started thinking about using his NFL money to start a record label. He told the Washington Post that a business associate set up a meeting with a new aspiring artist.
At 25, Chris headed to a nightclub in a Washington suburb, where he met 19-year-old Monique Cox from New Jersey. He introduced himself and immediately asked, “Do you have a man?” According to the Washington Post, not only did Monique have a boyfriend, but she was also a bit intimidated by the six-foot-five, 325-pound Chris, and his deep voice surprised her. When she nodded yes, Chris replied, “Well, you’ll have to excuse me then, because I’m pretty aggressive when I see something I like.”
Later that night, Monique took the stage and performed. Chris liked her sound and promised to stay in touch. Over the next two years, he did just that, even after giving up the idea of starting a record label. By the end of 2005, Monique told him she and her boyfriend had broken up. After that, she and Chris started hanging out as friends and going clubbing together. They became inseparable, but their relationship was purely platonic. Chris said he had never met a woman he had so much in common with. Monique put her music dreams on hold and became a real estate appraiser. Her flexible schedule allowed her and Chris to spend even more time together during the NFL offseason.
After a year of being friends, Monique realized she could see herself spending the rest of her life with Chris. She didn’t want to scare him off, so she kept her feelings to herself. A month later, Chris told her, “I think I’m falling in love with you.” They made it official, and a few years later, Monique started thinking about marriage. She asked Chris about his intentions, but he quickly became defensive. He told the Washington Post, “People always push you to get married when they think you’re ready. Then all of a sudden, you jump in and you’re like, ‘Oh man, what did I just do?'” He hadn’t seen many successful marriages and was happy with the way things were with Monique.
As they matured, they stopped partying and spent more time in church. Chris got involved in real estate, and Monique helped him organize his finances. In 2010, an injury forced him to retire from the NFL. With more time on his hands, he started thinking more about his life, seeking answers in his dreams about which direction to take.
In the fall of 2010, Chris had two dreams that hinted he should marry Monique, but he brushed them off. On the night of December 30, 2010, while tossing and turning in bed, he prayed, “Alright, Lord, I know you’re probably laughing. You’ve given me two answers in two dreams. I just need one more confirmation.” He fell back asleep and dreamed his house was being remodeled. In the dream, he wandered into a room and spoke to three young women who told him how good he and Monique were together. This was all the confirmation Chris needed to propose.
On New Year’s Eve, he and Monique went to church, and afterward, they went back to Chris’s place to drink wine by the outdoor fire pit. Chris told her about his latest dream and said, “I’m ready to do what I’m supposed to do.” He showed her the ring and asked her to marry him. Monique said yes and told him, “You’re going to be the happiest man on Earth. Everything you thought about marriage is going to change. We’re going to create our own thing.”
Let’s backtrack a bit. Chris was perfectly happy with their relationship as it was, and it wasn’t until his football career ended that he realized he was ready to settle down. They were engaged for two years, and in March 2012, 28-year-old Monique and 34-year-old Chris tied the knot. They continued working in real estate and bought five homes. Chris also worked as a college and high school football coach. However, because he was smart with his money during his NFL career, neither he nor Monique needed to work. They had two children, Christopher and Milani, and in 2017, Monique joined the cast of The Real Housewives of Potomac.
During one episode, Monique shared that she and Chris often had tension around her birthday. Her castmate Robyn Dixon, who remarried her ex-husband Juan Dixon, said she understood because athletes sometimes struggle to realize not everything is about them. But their issues ran deeper. Monique also had problems with Chris’s mom, who called her a heifer on the show. His mom also told Monique she needed to get a job. Monique responded on the show, “With the way Chris is so frugal, we’re set for the next 100 years. I need to get a job? I’m wifey!”
Chris stopped speaking to his mom for a while because he was upset about how she had disrespected his wife. In another episode, Monique opened up about feeling overwhelmed with taking care of her husband, their kids, her new business venture, and her charity work. Things came to a head when she revealed she had crashed her car after falling asleep at the wheel. The man who had been so attentive when they first met at a nightclub was now slacking in meeting Monique’s needs. She encouraged Chris to plan date nights and pursue her like he used to, as she felt he wasn’t putting enough effort into their marriage.
Despite the struggles, there was some positive news. In 2020, Monique announced she was pregnant with their third child after previously suffering a miscarriage. However, rumors began swirling on the reality TV show that she was allegedly having an affair with a personal trainer, with allegations that he was the father of her unborn child. Monique gave birth to their son, Chase, in November 2020. The next month, she announced she was leaving the show due to the drama and toxicity, and because she believed her castmates were trying to destroy her marriage. While Chris was also upset by the alleged attacks on their family, he told Reality Blurb he didn’t regret signing up for the show. He even mentioned that the experience brought him and Monique closer together.
After leaving the show, Monique took some time off to be with her family before being approached to star in “Love and Marriage: DC.” Agreeing to do the show turned out to be a bad decision at that time. Monique admitted to TV Insider that she and Chris weren’t really talking when they were given the opportunity to appear on the new reality show. They were in a rough patch when filming began. While Monique was ready to lay it all out and share their relationship issues with viewers, Chris was extremely uncomfortable with the idea. It seemed like Chris was willing to put on a facade for the camera to give the appearance of a happy marriage.
Monique had to tell him, “Listen, if you expect me to get on this camera and act like everything is all hunky-dory, you must not know who I am.” In the end, Chris went along with it because they had already signed on for the show. The Samuels were filmed having a heated exchange over a counseling assignment that Monique felt Chris wasn’t taking seriously. She later admitted she got triggered whenever she felt like Chris wasn’t doing his part to strengthen their marriage. During one episode, she confessed that if she could marry her husband again, knowing what she knows now, she wouldn’t.
Fans were shocked and quickly took to social media to voice their concerns. One viewer called the couple a mess, while others criticized Monique for how she treated Chris on camera. At the end of season one, Monique blamed editing for her portrayal. She admitted to Essence that there was still an imbalance in their relationship, and Chris had not fulfilled promises he made before their marriage.
People Magazine reported that Monique and Chris had separated, a claim confirmed by former Real Housewives co-star Ashley Darby during BravoCon. But what was the truth? Monique and Chris went live on YouTube the same day the news broke to reveal they were still married, not separated, and had no plans to divorce. Monique expressed hurt over people’s excitement about the fake news, while Chris found the rumors amusing but was disappointed by the lack of fact-checking. Monique defended Ashley, saying she was innocent and not responsible for the rumors.
Monique and Chris admitted their marriage faced challenges, opting for individual counseling instead of divorce to work on personal issues. They spent a few nights apart, with Chris staying at one of their other homes while Monique and their children remained in the marital home. Monique noted that this separation improved their relationship, leading to better communication.
As of the video, Monique and Chris appear to be in love and committed to making their marriage work. They look forward to delving deeper into their relationship on season two of Love and Marriage: DC. While many couples have fallen victim to the reality TV divorce curse, it’s evident that the pressures of being on TV can contribute to a relationship’s downfall.