Williams English made her 'SI Swimsuit' debut in the 2023 issue, earning Rookie of the Year honors with her shoot in the Dominican Republic
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NEED TO KNOW
- Nicole Williams English was named one of the 2026 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover stars
- The model posed in a mint green bikini for the photo shoot in Montauk, N.Y.
- This edition marks her fourth year shooting for the iconic magazine since she made her debut in 2023, when she earned the Rookie of the Year honor
Nicole Williams English, everybody!
The model, 38, was named one of the coveted cover stars of the 2026 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue, making her fierce return to the iconic pages of the magazine for a fourth consecutive year since her debut in 2023.
English posed powerfully in a mint green bikini for her summery shoot by Ben Watts on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean at the Hero Beach Club in Montauk, N.Y.
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Williams English, who's married to retired NFL star Larry English and shares 3-year-old daughter India Moon with him, is no stranger to the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit family. The year she made her debut, she earned the Rookie of the Year honors with her shoot in the Dominican Republic.
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Year after year, Williams English has exuded nothing but confidence and powerful energy from the start. In 2023, the model was pregnant with her daughter, India, when she got the call that she was going to be a Rookie for the swimwear issue.
"Shooting on the beaches of Dominica while 8 months pregnant felt surreal," Williams English told PEOPLE exclusively at the time.
"I've wanted to be a Sports Illustrated Rookie my entire career, so when I received the call that I was the first Rookie of 2023 and they also wanted to shoot me pregnant was the ultimate dream come true," she added. "I cried a lot!"
"When India gets older, I'm going to tell her all about [the experience] and show her all the photos. I believe the universe aligned it perfectly to make mommy's lifelong dream happen right when she was in my belly. So it was extra special," she continued.
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Alongside her pregnancy photos, the model was also given the opportunity to shoot with her newborn daughter for the magazine after she arrived in January.
"When India was 6 weeks old, she posed with me for this issue," said Williams English. "Not only am I pregnant in the magazine, but you also get to see India make her debut!"
In February, Williams English posed in a special NFL WAGS issue of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit.
She was joined by Brittany Mahomes, (Patrick Mahomes' wife), Christen Goff (married to Detroit Lions quarterback, Jared Goff), Claire Kittle (San Francisco 49ers' George Kittle's wife), Haley Cavinder (engaged to Dallas Cowboys' tight end Jake Ferguson) and Normani (engaged to Pittsburgh Steelers' DK Metcalf).
"It's been amazing," Williams English told PEOPLE exclusively at the time about welcoming the new group this year, adding, "It's just been the best experience."
As for sharing the addition of so many WAGs, she said, "It's beautiful to see. It really is."
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