Kennedy Urlacher’s mother is Tyna Robertson, who has used the name Tyna Karageorge since her 2016 marriage. She and former Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher had Kennedy on May 20, 2005. The two were never married, and much of what the public knows about her comes from court filings in custody and civil cases. Those cases stretched from Kennedy’s infancy into his teenage years.
Kennedy is now a college football safety at USC. Interest in his mother has grown as he has built his own football career.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
| Name | Tyna Robertson (also Tyna Karageorge) |
| Relationship to Kennedy | Biological mother |
| Kennedy’s father | Brian Urlacher, Pro Football Hall of Famer |
| Kennedy’s birth date | May 20, 2005 |
| Married to Brian Urlacher? | No |
| Later spouse | Ryan Karageorge (married September 2016; died December 2016) |
| Home base | Chicago area, Illinois |
Her Relationship With Brian Urlacher
Robertson and Urlacher dated during his playing years with the Bears. She later described the relationship as on-and-off. Kennedy was born in May 2005. The next month, Urlacher filed suit to establish paternity, and he was confirmed as the father.
The couple never married, and co-parenting became contentious almost right away. Their custody disagreements went to court in the years after Kennedy’s birth and drew attention from Chicago media, largely because Urlacher was one of the city’s biggest sports stars at the time. For most of Kennedy’s childhood, the parents shared custody. Kennedy lived with his mother in the Chicago suburbs, while Urlacher eventually settled in Arizona.
Name Confusion: Robertson, Karageorge, and “Laurie Urlacher”
Searches for Kennedy’s mother turn up several names.
- Tyna Robertson is the name under which she was known during most of the Urlacher coverage.
- Tyna Karageorge is the surname she took after marrying Ryan Karageorge in 2016. Court filings from 2018 onward use this name.
- Laurie Urlacher is sometimes wrongly listed as Kennedy’s mother. Laurie Fisher was Brian Urlacher’s first wife and the mother of his two daughters, Pamela and Riley. She is not Kennedy’s mother.
Kennedy is therefore a half-brother to Pamela and Riley on his father’s side. His mother also has a younger son from a later relationship, so Kennedy has a half-brother on her side as well.
The 2016 Tragedy and the Custody Change
In September 2016, Robertson married Ryan Karageorge. The couple lived in Willow Springs, Illinois, with Kennedy and her younger son. On December 29, 2016, Ryan Karageorge died from a gunshot wound inside their home. Robertson told police the two had been arguing and that he shot himself. The Cook County Medical Examiner later ruled the death a suicide.
Kennedy, then 11, was with his father in Arizona when it happened. Within days, Urlacher filed an emergency motion in Cook County court and cited concerns for his son’s safety and well-being while police were still investigating. In January 2017, a judge granted him temporary custody, and Kennedy stayed in Arizona.
Robertson publicly denied any involvement in her husband’s death and fought to restore her parenting time. The court initially allowed visits between mother and son while the case continued. Kennedy spent the rest of his youth in Arizona. He grew up in Queen Creek, attended Casteel High School, and then transferred to Chandler High School, where he became a highly recruited safety.
The $125 Million Lawsuit
In January 2018, Robertson, representing herself, filed a $125 million lawsuit in Cook County against Urlacher, his divorce attorneys, and a Chicago Tribune reporter. She alleged they had worked together to portray her as a suspect in her husband’s death and as an unfit mother so that Urlacher could win custody. The suit sought $25 million in compensatory damages and $100 million in punitive damages.
The case did not succeed. It was dismissed in 2019, and Robertson received no damages from Urlacher.
Earlier Public Attention
Robertson was in the news before the Urlacher dispute. In 2002, she accused Irish dancer Michael Flatley of sexual assault. Flatley denied the accusation and countersued, and in 2007 he won an $11 million judgment against her. This history was often mentioned in later coverage of her custody fight with Urlacher.
Where Kennedy’s Mother Is Today
Since her lawsuit ended, Tyna Karageorge has largely stayed out of public view. She is believed to still live in the Chicago area. She does not keep a public profile tied to her son’s football career, and there is no reliable public information about her current work.
Kennedy has built a career of his own. After a freshman season at Notre Dame in 2024, when he played in 14 games including the College Football Playoff National Championship, he transferred to USC in April 2025. There he plays safety in the Big Ten, the same defensive side of the ball where his father became a Hall of Famer.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Were Kennedy Urlacher’s parents ever married?
No. Tyna Robertson and Brian Urlacher were in a relationship but never married. Urlacher’s first wife was Laurie Fisher, and he later married Jennipher Frost.
- Who did Kennedy grow up with?
Until he was 11, Kennedy lived mainly with his mother in the Chicago area under shared custody. After January 2017, he lived with his father in Arizona.
- Is Tyna Robertson the same person as Tyna Karageorge?
Yes. She has used the surname Karageorge since her 2016 marriage to Ryan Karageorge.
