NASHVILLE, Tenn. — When Titans spirit team members Kinley Propes and Mark Geist stepped onto the field two Sundays ago, they thought they were gearing up for another high-energy home game. Instead, they became the center of one of the most heartwarming viral moments of the NFL season.
Their surprise on-field engagement, captured on the Jumbotron and shared across social media, quickly became national news. Even rivalry team fans were spotted cheering for the newly engaged couple as they walked off the turf.
But before the proposal took over timelines everywhere, Kinley and Mark were simply two dedicated athletes, Tennessee natives, and members of the Titans spirit program who worked their way onto the roster in their own unique ways.
Kinley Propes, a Mount Juliet native, began cheering young and went on to cheer at Austin Peay State University before joining the Titans in what is now her third season. She hadn’t planned on pursuing NFL cheer, but a last-minute nudge from a college teammate changed everything.
“I thought I was hanging up my shoes,” she said. “But he texted me on the day paperwork was due and said, ‘Why not try out?’ I hit submit at the very last second.” Kinley is now celebrating three seasons with the iconic team and does not plan on slowing down anytime soon.
Mark’s path was completely different. A former competitive gymnast, he fell into cheer unintentionally after joining the team at his Chattanooga boarding school (he was not a problem child but a gifted one, academically). He later cheered at Tennessee Tech and after graduation, learned that the Titans were looking for more male stunt athletes.
“I was nervous,” he admitted, “but I had no reason not to go. So I tried out as a walk-on and made the team.”
He joined in 2019, the first season the Titans brought back a co-ed stunt team, ending an 18-year gap since men were last part of the program. This season marks his seventh year with the organization and he is also not slowing down anytime soon, especially now that his fiancé, Kinley, is there every step of the way too.
Though they now spend every game day side-by-side, their first encounter actually happened before Titans tryouts at a Franklin gym where Austin Peay athletes were practicing.
“She doesn’t believe me, but it was love at first sight,” Mark laughed.
Their first date came months later in August 2023, at Geist in Germantown, partly chosen because the building once belonged to Mark’s family.
“If I got nervous, I figured I could talk about the architecture,” he joked.
A parking ticket at Pins Mechanical afterward sealed the deal: a classic Nashville first-date rite of passage.
The couple is set to celebrate two years together in the new year, but Mark was ready to get down on one knee long before that.
The proposal took more than a month of planning, with only a handful of staff members aware of what Mark was orchestrating.
“I just kept thinking, ‘Don’t shake during the routine. You can shake after,’” he said. Afraid he would drop the ring during stunts, he gave that gorgeous diamond to a nearby sideline member.
When the final 8-count hit, a teammate slipped him the ring. Another nudged Kinley into position and a proposal saw around the world took place.
“I had no idea,” she said. “He deserves an Oscar. He was so calm.”
Within hours, the proposal spread across millions of feeds. People who had never heard of the Titans spirit program suddenly felt like they knew the couple.
“We’ve received so many messages,” Kinley said. “Even people offering to help with the wedding. It’s overwhelming, in the best way.”
Balancing demanding schedules, nightly practices, and full-time careers, Tennessee Titans cheerleaders Kinley and Mark have built a lifestyle centered on wellness, not just individually, but as a unified team. Together, they’ve developed routines that support their physical performance, mental health, and relationship, proving that fitness truly is a family affair.
For Kinley, maintaining peak performance means far more than learning choreography. Cheer stunting requires strength, stability, timing, and technical precision. Mark, who is equally committed to staying strong and injury-free, mirrors the discipline needed on the field. Both rely on consistent weight training, mobility work, and specialized conditioning to stay ready for every game, practice, and performance. Titan Cheer captain, Amy King, even brings pilates to the field for the rest of the group to try.
With Kinley studying nursing and kinesiology, she approaches wellness through a science-first lens. She’s passionate about proper fueling, hydration, and recovery habits, and she’s brought Mark along with her.
Between games, cheer practices, and careers, the two are also slowly starting the wedding planning process.
“We’re looking at 2027, and yes, we already have a [guest list] spreadsheet,” Kinley laughed.
One thing is certain, the rest of the Titan’s Cheer program will be in attendance to the wedding of the year.
“You can say we’re coworkers all day long, but we all love each other,” Kinley explained. “We do a lot of things together outside of practice.”
This supportive environment sets the Titans program apart from other competitive cheerleading experiences. “We are very supportive of each other, which is different comparatively to different college teams,” Kinley adds.
The depth of her connection to the program is evident saying she could even write a book based on how she feels about the program. “I don’t think I’ll ever find words beautiful enough to express how I feel,” Kinley adds.
Mark echoes this sentiment about the program’s atmosphere.
“We really are a family and we support each other through the good and through the bad,” Mark said. “In our Excel sheet for our wedding, we’ve got it very organized, and I think the biggest section is actually our friends from the Titans.”
The wedding party will also feature heavily from their cheerleading family. “We have groomsmen and bridesmaids from our years on the team, Mark said.
This family atmosphere isn’t accidental, it’s cultivated intentionally by the Titans organization. Mark revealed that the program’s supportive culture is emphasized from the very beginning.
For aspiring NFL cheerleaders, Kinley’s advice is clear: the Titans program offers something special for those seeking genuine connection alongside athletic excellence.
The couple’s love story serves as a testament to the lasting relationships the program fosters.
Mark, with the engineering brain, handles logistics. Kinley handles aesthetics. Together, they’re the perfect team—on the field and off.
We hope we get a wedding invite!
Fill out the form and get the latest issue delivered right to your inbox
