Eric Johnson hails wife Jessica Simpson 'fiercely empowered'

Eric Johnson has hailed Jesa Simpson as a “fiercely empowered, unique, beautiful mama” on their seventh wedding anniversary.

The 41-year-old retired American footballer has paid a touching tribute to his wife as he gushed how lucky he and their three kids – Maxwell, nine, Ace, eight, and two-year-old Birdie – are to have her in their lives.

Alongside a series of snaps from their 2014 wedding, he wrote on Instagram: “Jesa, I love you. 7 years into marriage and you still make me laugh just as hard as day one. I had fun yesterday celebrating us.

“Our kids bring us so much joy and they could not be luckier to have such a fiercely empowered, unique, beautiful mama. I love you, babe!!! Happy Anniversary! E.”

The 40-year-old singer met Eric in May 2010 and the loved-up duo tied the knot in Montecito, California in July 2014.

In May, Jesa celebrated 11 years with Eric through a heartfelt Instagram post.

Alongside a black-and-white snap of them together, she wrote on the photo-sharing platform: “11 years STRONG… 11 hearts filled in every passing year with unconditional, passionate, inspired, fascinating, supportive, beautiful, tempting, ravishing, exquisite, sublime, marvelous, honest, happy, adored, ideal, incomparable, powerful, mesmERIC, LOVE. Our connected hearts are praised and celebrated on this serendipitous day. I knew the night we met, the fate of you, locked the key to my searching heart and simply held my soul with love and honor. Then, now and for the rest of my life I am fully and always yours and you mine. ()”

The ‘Part of Your World’ singer described falling in love with Eric as the “greatest gift” of her life and their children as the “perfect gift”.

Jesa – who was previously married to actor Nick Lachey between 2002 and 2006 – wrote: “Gaining access to your heart to dwell and reside in, is the greatest gift I will ever rest within until the end of time. Time goes by, the perfect children you gave me are growing older, but with you and I time does not exist for it only allows space to broaden…expanding beyond horizons just to love and be loved. Happy Anniversary to us, the beauty of us- as is and forevermore. ()”