Aaron Rodgers has reopened an old chapter of his personal life, and the reaction has been swift. During a recent podcast appearance, the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback spoke in detail about his former relationship with Shailene Woodley, including their engagement and breakup. People close to the actress reportedly questioned why Rodgers chose to revisit a relationship that ended years ago, especially after Woodley had previously explained how difficult that period was for her.
Aaron Rodgers’ comments about Shailene Woodley draw backlash
Rodgers discussed Woodley during an appearance on Cam Heyward’s “Not Just Football” podcast, released on September 10, 2026. The former couple became engaged in December 2020, but their relationship unraveled within months.According to Rodgers, he proposed and Woodley accepted. He later claimed that she told him only days after the proposal that she needed to deal with another man before they could marry.Rodgers also recalled seeing signs that their engagement was falling apart. He said Woodley had removed her engagement ring by March 2021. Although the pair attempted to repair their relationship later that year, Rodgers said the effort ultimately failed.He claimed Woodley eventually told him, “I don’t want to be with you.”The comments have reportedly frustrated people in Woodley’s circle. Sources cited by TMZ said the actress has always preferred to keep her personal relationships away from public attention.One source questioned Rodgers’ decision to bring up the relationship at all.“What’s the point of a married dude bringing up an ex he hasn’t spoken with in over 2 years?”Rodgers, who is now married, also pushed back against the idea that he was responsible for damaging Woodley’s life.“Shai, you left me, you took the ring off. What are we talking about regarding me ruining your life?”His decision to revisit the relationship comes despite Woodley previously explaining why she rarely discusses their breakup.
Shailene Woodley previously described a painful period
Woodley spoke about Rodgers and the end of their relationship in a December 2024 interview with Outside magazine. Rather than offering a detailed account, she explained that discussing the romance remained emotionally difficult.“I haven’t shared much about my relationship with Aaron because it always makes me cry,” she said.Woodley also described the relationship in a way that captured its complexity without reducing it to a simple success or failure.“It was not right. But it was beautiful,” she said.She then opened up about a deeply difficult period in early 2022, around the time the breakup became public.“I had a really awful, traumatic thing happen in early 2022,” she said. “I felt like I lost my soul, my self, my happiness, my joy. I really understood depression and anxiety and, like, complete soul detachment.”Woodley said her depression became so severe that even looking at a tree could leave her feeling nothing. Support from her close friend and stylist Kris Zero helped her begin moving forward. Surfing, working at a ranch and spending time outdoors became part of that process.Rodgers also addressed another famous former relationship during the same podcast appearance. He disputed Danica Patrick’s past description of their breakup and said their relationship had deteriorated over time.“She had just retired,” Rodgers said. “She was depressed and not fun to be around, but I didn’t leave her because I was trying to be there and be a good partner.”Rodgers further acknowledged that he had been “emotionally unavailable” during his relationships with Patrick and Woodley because of unresolved feelings connected to his now-wife, Brittani.For now, his comments have brought renewed attention to relationships both sides had seemingly left behind. The discussion also highlights how differently former partners can remember the same chapter of their lives.
