Shailene Woodley and Aaron Rodgers are getting married!
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Wait… Shailene Woodley and Aaron Rodgers are getting married? The public hardly knew the actress and athlete were an item to begin with, but after less than a year of dating, they’re ready to tie the knot.
Get the details on their whirlwind romance, and find out how this relationship is a far cry from Rodgers’ former approach to finding love.
Aaron Rodgers Started Dating Shailene Woodley After Breaking Up With Danica Patrick
The last we knew, Rodgers found his match in NASCAR superstar Danica Patrick. The couple first confirmed their relationship status in January 2018, with Patrick simply telling the Associated Press, “Yes, Aaron and I are dating.”
Rodgers had previously dated actress Olivia Munn. It was a highly-publicized relationship, as well as his first true taste of what it’s like to be scrutinized off the field. Having survived the ordeal, he seemed better prepared for the stress of dating in the spotlight.
“When you are living out a relationship in the public eye, it’s definitely … it’s difficult,” he told ESPN the Magazine in 2017. “It has some extra constraints, because you have other opinions about your relationship, how it affects your work and, you know, just some inappropriate connections.”
“When somebody thinks of you a certain way that’s not real, or says something about you that’s not true, I … you know, that’s not me,” he added. “You’re not seeing me the right way.”
But Patrick wasn’t as hesitant to fall in love in a very public way. In an April 2020 Instagram Q&A, she swooned, “If you like a partner who is extremely attractive, super intelligent, very thoughtful, patient (lord knows I can be stubborn), loves to travel, is open minded, is into growing in this life, and can ball. Ya, it’s pretty amazing.”
The couple also appeared to be enjoying each other’s company during the pandemic. And in an interview with People, Patrick revealed they were bonding in isolation with online classes, cooking, and Rosetta Stone language lessons.
“I still got guitar on my list to practice, but I haven’t done that,” said Patrick. “So yeah, watching shows, watching movies. Like everyone else, we’ve watched Tiger King.”
But by July, a rep for Patrick confirmed their break-up. Neither camp provided a comment on the matter, but the racecar driver promptly unfollowed the quarterback on Instagram following the announcement. The last photo of the couple is from April 2020, during a trip to Machu Picchu:
So when exactly did Rodgers and Woodley become an item? In early February 2021, E! News confirmed that they were in a long-distance relationship. But the football star had already hinted at their romance back in September.
“I just have a new an increased love of life,” Rodgers said on the Pat McAfee Show. “I’ve made decisions and changes and habits that put me in a lot better headspace and there’s just a lot of things that have come together in my life over the last few months that have really been enjoyable… it starts with love. And then surrounding yourself with people that you really enjoy.”
Watch Rodgers beam with joy as he elaborates in the clip below:
Their Relationship Has Been Kept Under Wraps So Far
If the news of Rodgers and Woodley comes as a surprise, you’re not alone. Both parties kept mum about the relationship for months. According to sports gossip site Terez Owens, one potential reason for the secrecy is that Patrick allegedly introduced the two. The idea that Rodgers betrayed his girlfriend for Woodley would make for some messy headlines.
But a more realistic explanation is that Rodgers and Woodley understand the perils of public courtship. Not only did Rodgers survive two highly publicized breakups; Woodley was also just out of a relationship with rugby player Ben Volavola.
“I was in a relationship with someone and we were very much on the road to marriage and children,” Woodley told Bustle in April 2020. “I realized I was still at an age where I wasn’t able to fully commit. I couldn’t be available to him in the way that I wanted to be. I didn’t fully love myself.”
Her sentiments make her romance with Rodgers all the more surprising. But perhaps the fact that they give each other breathing room is the key to their success. An insider told E! News that neither wanted the relationship to be a distraction from their current career goals. While Rodgers remained in Wisconsin during the NFL season, Woodley was in Montreal working on her upcoming film Misanthrope.
“They have spent the entire fall together and lived together throughout,” another source told E! News. “She is very supportive of his career and embraced his life in Green Bay. Even though she has her own career and life, she wanted to be there with him… Over the next year, they plan to spend some time traveling and enjoying a warmer climate.”
Shailene Woodley And Aaron Rodgers Are Already Engaged
After less than a year of dating, Rodgers put a ring on it. But you wouldn’t even know it unless you tuned into his M.V.P. Award acceptance speech in early February. The Packers QB casually mentioned his engagement in passing and thanked his fiancée without naming her. Watch how subtle he is as he makes the big news public:
People put the puzzle pieces together and confirmed the couple’s status two days later. No word on a wedding date, but we’ll definitely be keeping track of developments.