Popular Searches:
Tyna Karageorge, also known by her former name Tyna Robertson, is an American woman who became known to the public through her relationship with NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher and the complex legal battles that followed. Her life story encompasses personal tragedy, high-profile custody disputes, and a determined fight for privacy after years in the media spotlight.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Tyna Marie Karageorge (née Robertson) |
| Age | Approximately 43-51 years (birth year disputed) |
| Birthplace | Illinois, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African American |
| Known For | Mother of Kennedy Urlacher, legal battles with Brian Urlacher |
| Former Partner | Brian Urlacher (NFL player) |
| Late Husband | Ryan Karageorge (died 2016) |
| Children | Kennedy Urlacher (born 2005) |
| Estimated Net Worth | Approximately $1 million |
| Occupation | Former real estate agent, mortgage broker |
Tyna Karageorge is best recognized as the mother of Kennedy Urlacher, the son of former Chicago Bears linebacker and Pro Football Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher.
While she lived a relatively private life before entering the public eye, her connection to one of the NFL’s most celebrated players thrust her into unwanted media attention. Over two decades, she has navigated personal loss, contested custody arrangements, and multimillion-dollar lawsuits that made national headlines.
Tyna Marie Robertson was born in Illinois in either 1974 or 1982, with sources providing conflicting information about her exact birth year. She grew up in the Midwest, with some reports indicating she was raised in Hobart, Indiana, and Chicago, Illinois.
Details about her childhood and family background remain largely private, as she has consistently maintained a preference for keeping personal matters out of the public domain.
According to available records, she attended the University of Illinois, where she studied either business administration or communications, depending on the source. Her education provided a foundation for her later work in the real estate and finance industries.
Before becoming publicly known through her relationship with Brian Urlacher, Tyna Robertson worked in several professional capacities. She built a career as a real estate agent and mortgage broker in the Chicago area, helping clients navigate property transactions and financing.
These roles required strong interpersonal skills and business acumen, qualities that would later prove essential during her legal challenges. Additionally, she had a brief stint in modeling, appearing in some regional magazines and commercial work.
However, modeling was never her primary focus, and she eventually concentrated on building a more stable career in real estate and finance.
In the early 2000s, Tyna Robertson met Brian Urlacher through mutual connections in Chicago’s social scene. At the time, Urlacher was establishing himself as one of the premier defensive players in the NFL, having been drafted by the Chicago Bears in 2000. The two developed a relationship that would ultimately result in the birth of their son.
In 2005, Tyna gave birth to Kennedy Urlacher, making her a central figure in the NFL star’s personal life. Though the couple never married, they initially maintained a co-parenting arrangement.
However, their relationship deteriorated over time, leading to disputes over child support, visitation rights, and other custody-related matters that would intensify in later years.
Brian Urlacher went on to marry twice after his relationship with Tyna. His most recent marriage was to Jennipher Frost, a former America’s Next Top Model contestant, in 2016. Together, they have two daughters, Pamela and Riley.
Before her widely publicized disputes with Brian Urlacher, Tyna Robertson was involved in another high-profile legal case that brought her negative media attention. In 2003, she filed a lawsuit seeking damages against Michael Flatley, the internationally famous Irish dancer known for creating “Lord of the Dance” and “Riverdance.”
Robertson alleged that Flatley had sexually assaulted her at The Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas in October 2002. The accusations quickly made headlines, and Robertson’s attorney sent a demand letter to Flatley requesting a seven-figure settlement to avoid a lawsuit.
When Flatley refused, Robertson filed a civil lawsuit in Illinois seeking $33 million in damages. However, the case took a dramatic turn when courts determined that the demand letter and subsequent communications constituted criminal extortion.
Flatley countersued Robertson and her attorney for defamation, extortion, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Las Vegas police investigated the allegations but filed no criminal charges, and Flatley maintained that any sexual contact had been consensual.
In 2007, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge awarded Flatley $11 million in a default judgment against Robertson. The court found that Robertson’s allegations were false and constituted an attempt to extort money from the celebrity.
This case significantly damaged Robertson’s public reputation and set a precedent for how she would be viewed in future legal disputes.
In September 2016, Tyna Robertson married Ryan Karageorge, a lawyer and former college football player. Ryan became a stepfather to Kennedy Urlacher, and for a brief period, it appeared that Tyna had found stability and happiness in her personal life. The marriage represented a new chapter and a chance to move forward from past controversies.
Tragically, just three months after their wedding, Ryan Karageorge died from a gunshot wound to the head on December 29, 2016, at their home in Willow Springs, Illinois.
According to police reports and statements Tyna made to investigators, the couple had been arguing when Ryan retrieved a gun from her purse. Tyna claimed Ryan threatened to harm himself, and when she attempted to take the gun away, it discharged, fatally wounding him.
The Cook County Medical Examiner ultimately ruled Ryan’s death a suicide. However, the circumstances surrounding the incident raised questions and became a focal point in subsequent custody proceedings. The loss devastated Tyna and dramatically altered the trajectory of her life and her relationship with her son.
Within days of Ryan Karageorge’s death, Brian Urlacher filed an emergency motion in Cook County court seeking temporary custody of Kennedy, who was eleven years old at the time. In his court filings, Urlacher expressed concern for his son’s safety and emotional well-being, citing what he characterized as suspicious circumstances surrounding Ryan’s death.
The court granted Urlacher temporary custody in January 2017, and Kennedy went to live with his father in Arizona. This decision was emotionally devastating for Tyna, who maintained that she had done nothing wrong and that her son should remain in her care.
She appeared in a local television interview in February 2017, tearfully pleading for Kennedy to be returned to her and asserting her innocence in her husband’s death. The custody dispute continued throughout 2017, with both parties presenting evidence and testimony.
A guardian ad litem was appointed to evaluate Kennedy’s best interests, and the case involved multiple hearings examining the home environment, parenting capabilities, and the child’s preferences.
In January 2018, approximately one year after losing temporary custody of Kennedy, Tyna Karageorge filed a defamation lawsuit against Brian Urlacher, his attorneys, and a Chicago Tribune reporter. The lawsuit sought $125 million in damages, comprising $100 million in punitive damages and $25 million in compensatory damages.
In her complaint, Karageorge alleged that Urlacher had deliberately made false statements to police investigators, custody evaluators, and the media, suggesting that she had killed Ryan Karageorge during an argument.
She claimed these statements were made despite evidence indicating Ryan’s death was self-inflicted. According to the lawsuit, Urlacher and his legal team conspired to portray her as an unfit mother and a murderer in order to gain an advantage in the custody proceedings.
The lawsuit characterized Urlacher’s actions as defamatory and claimed they had caused severe damage to her reputation, mental health, and relationship with her son. In her own words at the time, Karageorge stated that her life had been ruined and that people continued to perceive her as a murderer.
However, the defamation case faced significant legal obstacles. In March 2019, a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that Urlacher’s statements were protected under the First Amendment and that Karageorge had failed to prove they were made with actual malice, the legal standard required in defamation cases involving public figures.
The judge also criticized Karageorge’s legal arguments, stating that her lawsuit essentially repeated false claims and twisted facts out of context that had already been examined and rejected in previous court proceedings.
Karageorge appealed the dismissal, but in July 2020, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit upheld the lower court’s decision, effectively ending her defamation case.
Additionally, in September 2019, a judge sanctioned Karageorge $8,500 for unsupported allegations she made against one defendant in the federal case, further complicating her legal position.
Following the dismissal of her defamation lawsuit and the denial of her appeal, Tyna Karageorge largely withdrew from public life. After years of intense media scrutiny, courtroom battles, and personal tragedy, she chose to prioritize privacy and focus on rebuilding her life away from the spotlight.
Her current whereabouts and activities are not publicly known. She has no active social media presence and has not given interviews or made public statements in recent years. This deliberate retreat from public attention suggests a desire to heal from the trauma of the past decade and to live a quieter, more peaceful existence.
The current custody arrangement for Kennedy Urlacher, who would now be approximately 19 or 20 years old, is not publicly documented. As Kennedy has reached adulthood, the formal custody dispute between his parents has likely become less relevant, though the emotional impact of the years-long conflict undoubtedly continues to affect all parties involved.
As of 2025, Tyna Karageorge’s estimated net worth is approximately $1 million. This figure is derived from her previous work as a real estate agent and mortgage broker in the Chicago area, along with any assets accumulated during her adult life.
It is important to note that prolonged legal battles are financially draining. The costs associated with attorney fees, court filings, expert witnesses, and related expenses over more than a decade of litigation likely consumed significant financial resources.
Unlike her former partner Brian Urlacher, who earned substantial wealth during his 13-season NFL career and subsequent business ventures, Karageorge does not have access to celebrity-level income streams.
Her net worth estimate remains speculative, as she has not publicly disclosed financial information and maintains a private lifestyle that makes verification difficult.
Tyna Karageorge’s life story is one of complexity, tragedy, and resilience. What began as a relationship with a famous athlete evolved into years of legal disputes, personal loss, and intense public scrutiny.
From the failed lawsuit against Michael Flatley to the heartbreaking death of her husband Ryan, and through the protracted custody battle and defamation case with Brian Urlacher, she has faced challenges that would overwhelm most people.
While media coverage has often focused on the controversies and legal aspects of her story, it is important to remember the human being at the center of these events.
Behind every court filing and headline is a mother who fought for her son, a widow who lost her husband under tragic circumstances, and a woman seeking to protect her reputation and dignity.
As she continues to live a private life away from the spotlight, her story serves as a reminder of how quickly personal relationships can become public spectacles, and how difficult it can be to reclaim privacy once it has been lost.
Whatever the future holds for Tyna Karageorge, her journey reflects both the vulnerabilities and the strength of the human spirit.
