Aaron Rodgers has offered a new account of his past engagement to actress Shailene Woodley, asserting that she ended their relationship to pursue another man and denying claims that he caused her significant distress.
During an appearance on the podcast "Not Just Football with Cam Heyward," Rodgers stated that Woodley broke off their engagement, which he proposed in December 2021, by March 2022. He recounted that shortly after his proposal, Woodley informed him of her desire to "go f--k this guy." Rodgers contends that Woodley's public narrative, suggesting he ruined her life and caused her severe depression, is inaccurate.
"She literally told me, ‘I don’t want to be with you’ after we tried some reconciliation in 2021," Rodgers said. "There’s just a lot of narrative out there that isn’t true."
Rodgers also mentioned his past relationship with Danica Patrick during the podcast segment, suggesting that the height of their public profiles occurred when they were with him.
Woodley, in a 2024 interview, had previously described going through a "traumatic event" in early 2022, which she said led to feelings of soul detachment, depression, and anxiety. While she did not name the individual involved, she indicated she remained in a "toxic situation" due to empathy for someone else. She noted that her depression began to subside six months later, aided by her stylist Kris Zero.
Rodgers, who has stated his intention to retire from the NFL after the 2026 season, characterized himself as a "good partner" and questioned the narrative surrounding the breakup, noting that Woodley removed the engagement ring.