Aaron Rodgers has finally offered more insight into the relationship that once saw him engaged to actress Shailene Woodley. The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback has largely avoided discussing the reasons behind their split in detail, but he recently addressed the subject during an appearance on teammate Cam Heyward’s Not Just Football podcast.
Rodgers recalled how things changed soon after he proposed to Woodley in December 2020. According to the veteran quarterback, Woodley told him after the engagement that she was interested in being intimate with another unnamed man before their wedding. His comments provide one of his most direct accounts yet of what happened between the former couple.
Aaron Rodgers Opens Up on Shailene Woodley Relationship After Engagement
Aaron Rodgers has offered a fresh account of his broken engagement to actress Shailene Woodley, shedding more light on what he says happened after he proposed in December 2020. Speaking on teammate Cam Heyward’s Not Just Football podcast, the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback claimed the relationship changed within days of the proposal. “She said yes,” Rodgers said. “A couple days after that she tells me, ‘Before we get married I gotta go f**k this guy.’”
Rodgers did not reveal the identity of the person he was referring to, while Woodley has not publicly responded to the specific allegation. He said the engagement had effectively ended by March 2021, despite attempts by the pair to reconcile. Rodgers also pushed back against the idea that he was responsible for ending the relationship, saying, “She literally told me I don’t want to be with you.”
The quarterback also addressed Woodley’s previous comments about the emotional impact of their breakup. In a 2024 interview, the actress described the period as “really awful, traumatic” and said, “I felt like I lost my soul, my self, my happiness, my joy.” Rodgers disputed her version of events, saying, “Her story is I ruined her life and gave her crazy depression because I left her, but the actuality is, she told me that [statement] and she took off the ring by March,” Rodgers said. “I proposed in December, took off the ring by March, and we had a couple of times when we tried to get reunited and nothing ever happened, and there wasn’t even a relationship in ’22 to break off.”
Aaron Rodgers and Shailene Woodley: Relationship Timeline, Engagement and Breakup
Aaron Rodgers and Shailene Woodley were first linked in July 2020, shortly after Rodgers’ split from Danica Patrick, and their relationship progressed quickly. By December 2020, Rodgers had secretly proposed to the actress. Their engagement became public in February 2021, when Rodgers revealed during his NFL MVP acceptance speech that he was engaged, with Woodley confirming the news soon after. The couple largely kept their romance private but occasionally gave fans glimpses of their relationship.
By February 2022, reports emerged that Rodgers and Woodley had called off their engagement, with their demanding careers and time spent between Green Bay and Los Angeles reportedly putting pressure on the relationship. However, the split was not immediately permanent. In late February and March, the pair briefly attempted to reconcile, including attending a wedding together in Florida, while Rodgers also shared affectionate posts about Woodley on social media. By April 2022, reports confirmed that the relationship had ended for good and the engagement was officially over.
The breakup remained a subject of public interest, with both Rodgers and Woodley later offering their perspectives on the difficult period. In September 2026, Rodgers revisited the relationship during an appearance on Cam Heyward’s Not Just Football podcast, discussing what he says happened after their engagement and how the relationship ultimately fell apart.
What Is Aaron Rodgers Doing Now? Latest Update on Steelers Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers is currently playing his 22nd NFL season as the starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, with the 2026 campaign confirmed as the final season of his playing career. Rodgers has been firm about his decision to retire after the season, saying there is “zero debate” that this will be his last year in the league. He is also getting one final opportunity to work with former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy as he looks to finish his career on a strong note.
Away from the field, Rodgers is focused on life beyond football with his wife, Brittani, whom he married in early 2025. He has said that starting a family and becoming a father are major priorities once his playing career comes to an end. While Rodgers has recently attracted attention for comments about his past relationships, his main focus remains completing his final NFL season before beginning the next chapter of his life.
