Anyone searching Amanza ex husband is usually looking for former NFL player Ralph Brown. He and Selling Sunset star Amanza Smith married in 2010 and later divorced. Their family story gained wider attention after Brown stopped communicating with Smith and their children in 2019.
Brown’s absence later became an important part of Smith’s story on Selling Sunset. She eventually went to court to seek control over major decisions about their children. In September 2021, a judge granted her sole legal and physical custody.
Quick answer: Ralph Brown, a former NFL defensive back, is Amanza Smith’s ex-husband and father of her two children. They married in 2010, split in 2012, and later shared custody. Brown stopped communicating with the family in 2019, and Smith received sole legal and physical custody in September 2021.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Ex-husband | Ralph Brown |
| Profession | Former NFL defensive back |
| Marriage year | 2010 |
| Separation/divorce period | 2012 |
| Children | Daughter Noah and son Braker |
| NFL teams | Giants, Vikings, Browns, Cardinals |
| Last reported family contact | 2019 |
| Custody development | Smith received sole legal and physical custody in 2021 |
| Current confirmed location | No verified location established by the reporting cited here |
Amanza Ex Husband Ralph Brown: Who Is He?
Ralph Brown is a former professional football player who spent ten seasons in the NFL. He played defensive back for four franchises between 2000 and 2009. NFL records list 129 regular-season games and 17 starts during his career.
Brown began his professional career with the New York Giants in 2000. He later played for the Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns. He finished his NFL career with the Arizona Cardinals from 2007 through 2009.
His football background became relevant to Selling Sunset viewers through Smith’s personal story. She discussed meeting her former spouse while he was playing professional football. The series then focused more heavily on their family circumstances after his disappearance from contact.
Football fans can find more background on players in the Trent Brown profile. Another relevant sports biography is the Boomer Esiason profile. Both provide more background on personalities connected with professional football.
When Did Amanza Smith and Ralph Brown Get Married?
Smith and Brown married in July 2010 after beginning a relationship before his NFL career ended. Multiple entertainment publications report that their marriage lasted about two years. They separated in 2012 and continued parenting their children afterward.
After the divorce, their relationship initially appeared more cooperative than later headlines suggest. Smith has said they followed a shared-custody arrangement for years. She also described him publicly as an involved father before communication stopped.
That history helps explain why the later change attracted so much attention. The issue was not simply a celebrity divorce resurfacing years later. It involved a parent who reportedly stopped participating in a long-established family routine.
How Many Children Do They Have?
The former couple shares two children, daughter Noah and son Braker. Their children were still young when their parents divorced in 2012. Smith has spoken about maintaining their relationship with both parents during the years following the divorce.
For several years, the children reportedly moved between their parents under a shared arrangement. Smith told Refinery29 that this pattern had remained consistent for years. That situation changed unexpectedly during the filming period surrounding Selling Sunset.
The change eventually created practical problems beyond ordinary custody scheduling. Smith sought sole custody because major decisions could require authorization from both legal parents. The court proceedings ultimately changed the formal custody arrangement.
What Happened to Ralph Brown in 2019?

Brown reportedly stopped communicating regularly with Smith and their children during 2019. Reporting places his last known school drop-off with the children on August 26 that year. Smith later said she had not maintained communication with him after September.
The story was often described publicly as “missing” or “off the grid.” Those descriptions came from Smith’s account and subsequent entertainment reporting. They should not be interpreted as proof of what happened privately afterward.
Public reporting cited here does not establish a verified current location for Brown. It also does not provide evidence supporting online theories about why contact ended. The most reliable approach is separating documented court developments from speculation about his whereabouts.
Why Did Amanza Smith Receive Sole Custody?
Smith began taking legal steps toward sole custody after Brown’s extended absence from family decisions. She discussed the process publicly during 2021. Court records later reported by entertainment outlets confirmed the outcome that September.
The court granted her sole legal and physical custody of both children. Reporting on the order stated that Brown had not participated in the custody case for two years. The order also addressed visitation conditions connected with updated contact information.
Sole legal custody gave Smith authority over important decisions affecting the children. Sole physical custody established their primary living arrangement with her. Those legal details are more specific than simply saying she “won custody.”
Ralph Brown’s NFL Career Explained
Brown’s professional career lasted from 2000 through the 2009 NFL season. NFL statistics credit him with 129 games, six interceptions, and one defensive touchdown. He also recorded an 80-yard interception return during his final season in Arizona.
His longest stretch came with the New York Giants during his first four seasons. Minnesota followed for two seasons before a single year in Cleveland. He then spent his final three seasons with Arizona.
That career ended before his 2010 marriage to Smith. It also explains why coverage frequently identifies him primarily as a former NFL player. The league’s official statistics can independently verify his athletic record.
Readers interested in other Mindspaper stories combining sports and family backgrounds can visit the Sonya Curry relationship profile. It offers another example of public interest surrounding a sports-connected family’s personal life.
Was Taye Diggs Amanza Smith’s Husband?
No, actor Taye Diggs was Smith’s boyfriend, not her husband. She dated Diggs after her marriage to Brown had ended. Reports say the relationship lasted about five years before ending in 2018.
The distinction matters because searches about Smith’s former partners can mix the two relationships. Brown is the former spouse with whom she shares Noah and Braker. Diggs was a later long-term partner who became close to the family.
Smith has publicly discussed the financial support Diggs provided during their relationship. That history sometimes appears within stories about Brown and child support. It does not change who her former husband is.
Is Ralph Brown Still Missing?
News coverage has repeatedly described Brown as missing or absent from contact since 2019. Yet those reports mainly document Smith’s account and the subsequent custody proceedings. They do not establish his present location through independently verified public information.
That distinction is important when reading older entertainment articles. A headline saying someone “remains missing” can describe an unresolved family situation. It does not necessarily mean authorities have published a recent missing-person update.
The safest current conclusion is narrower. His whereabouts are not established by the credible public reporting reviewed for this article. Any stronger explanation would move beyond verified facts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Amanza ex husband?
Ralph Brown is the former husband of Selling Sunset personality Amanza Smith. He played defensive back in the NFL from 2000 through 2009. The couple married in 2010 and separated in 2012.
Did Amanza Smith and Ralph Brown have children?
Yes, the former couple have two children named Noah and Braker. They shared parenting responsibilities for years following their divorce. Smith later received sole legal and physical custody in 2021.
When did Ralph Brown stop being in contact?
Smith has said communication stopped during 2019. Reports identify August 26, 2019, as the last known school drop-off involving the children. She later said she had not communicated with him after September.
Did Ralph Brown play professional football?
Yes, Brown spent ten seasons playing defensive back in the NFL. His teams included the Giants, Vikings, Browns, and Cardinals. Official NFL records show he appeared in 129 regular-season games.
Does Amanza Smith have sole custody of her children?
Yes, a court granted her sole legal and physical custody in September 2021. Brown did not appear at the reported custody hearing. The decision allowed Smith to make major legal decisions concerning the children.
The Key Takeaway
Ralph Brown’s connection to Smith goes far beyond his former NFL career. Their marriage ended years before his absence became a major Selling Sunset storyline. Their two children remained at the center of the later custody proceedings.
Verified reporting establishes the marriage, divorce, football career, 2019 loss of contact, and 2021 custody ruling. It does not establish a verified current location for Brown. Readers should treat unsupported online theories about his situation cautiously.
For Mindspaper, the strongest approach is to update this page when credible new reporting appears. That keeps the article useful without turning uncertainty into fact. It also gives readers a clear record of what has been publicly confirmed.







