Aaron Rodgers and Shailene Woodley’s whirlwind engagement reportedly came as a surprise to his loved ones, who initially believed she was ‘a rebound’ following his split from long-term girlfriend Danica Patrick.
Despite the lovebird’s relationship coming hot on the heels of his separation from the race car driver, a source close to the 37-year-old Green Bay Packers quarterback told People ‘they got so close’ quickly.
‘I mean, it really felt like one day he was with Danica, and then suddenly he was with Shailene. It happened super fast,’ the insider noted.
Happy in love: Aaron Rodgers and Shailene Woodley’s engagement reportedly came as a surprise to his loved ones, who believed she was ‘a rebound’ (seen in 2018)
The Rodgers pal also confessed that the athlete’s family and close friends assumed the 29-year-old actress ‘was just a rebound’ and they weren’t that ‘serious.’
‘Everyone thought it was a casual thing because that’s what he was telling everyone, even when it was clearly not a casual thing,’ the source said.
The new details come after Rodgers thanked his fiancée as he accepted his NFL MVP award on Sunday.
New flame: The Rodgers pal confessed that friends and family thought the athlete’s new romance happened so quickly, they assumed the 29-year-old Big Little Lies star ‘was just a rebound’ and not ‘serious’ (seen in January 2020)
The hunky star mentioned that he ‘got engaged’ in 2020, and thanked his ‘fiancee’ – who is Woodley, according to People.
‘They are very happy together,’ a source told the website last week. ‘It’s not surprising he proposed so fast. When you know, you know, right?’
Among the people Rodgers thanked for supporting him for the MVP award – which is his third – he also included Oscar-winning actress Jodie Foster, who costars with Woodley in this month’s The Mauritanian.
Exes: The Rodgers pal also confessed that the athlete’s family and close friends assumed the 29-year-old actress ‘was just a rebound’ after just ending his two-year relationship with Danica Patrick last July; seen in 2017
The Big Little Lies actress and the football player have been said to be enjoying a ‘private’ romance, according to E! News.
‘They have kept things private and low key,’ a source told the outlet, adding that the pair’s relationship has been a ‘long distance’ one.
Woodley has been hunkered down in Montreal, Canada as she films the serial killer thriller Misanthrope, according to Canada Live and Variety.
Already ‘engaged’: Shailene Woodley is reportedly dating football star Aaron Rodgers, as reported by E! News on Tuesday
Although his season came to an end last month, Rodgers spent the past few months staying ‘very focused on his season’ with the Green Bay Packers.
Unfortunately, Rodgers and his team missed their chance at the Super Bowl after losing to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on January 24th.
Despite the distance, Shailene and Aaron ‘have seen each other and been in touch,’ the source revealed.
Hard at work: Shailene and Aaron have been in a long distance relationship, with the actress Woodley filming the serial killer thriller Misanthrope in Montreal, Canada; Shailene pictured in 2019
‘They continue to talk and see each other when they can. They are both focused on their careers but they also make time for each other.’
Prior to Rodgers, Woodley was romantically linked to Fijian rugby player Ben Volavola from 2017 until their split in 2019.
Last spring, the Divergent actress revealed to the New York Times that she was ‘very much single’ and had ‘chosen to be single for a while’ before jumping back into the dating game.
And they’re done! As for Aaron, the handsome quarterback famously ended his two-year relationship with the former professional racing driver in July of 2020; Danica and Aaron pictured in 2018
Speaking candidly about her breakup with Volavola, Woodley explained to Bustle that, although they were ‘very much on the road to marriage and children,’ she just was not ready for that commitment.
‘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,’ she concluded.
As for Aaron, he famously ended his relationship with former professional racing driver Danica Patrick in July of 2020.
Three year romance: Aaron also famously dated actress Olivia Munn from 2014 until their ‘amicable’ split in 2017; Aaron and Olivia pictured in 2015
In a statement to Page Six, Rodgers confirmed that he and Patrick were ‘no longer together.’
In the midst of their breakup, Patrick went on Instagram and posted a slew of cryptic relationship-oriented quotes, including one by relationship coach Connor Beaton that read: ‘The pain that we are given is the pain that we pass on.’
Aaron also famously dated actress Olivia Munn from 2014 until their ‘amicable’ split in 2017.
Struggles: In an interview with ESPN Magazine in August of 2017, Rodgers opened up about ending things with the Newsroom star, remarking that ‘living out a relationship in the public eye, it’s definitely … it’s difficult’ (seen in 2021)
In an interview with ESPN Magazine in August of 2017, Rodgers opened up about ending things with the Newsroom star, remarking that ‘living out a relationship in the public eye, it’s definitely … it’s difficult.’
‘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,’ he explained.
Since ending her relationship with Volavola and trying things out with Rodgers, Woodley has been a lot more candid about her private life, including the topic of sex.
Open book: Since ending her relationship with Volavola and trying things out with Rodgers, Woodley has been a lot more candid about her private life, including the topic of sex; seen in 2019
In an Ask Her column for men’s website Leo one person inquired: ‘If the sex is not great but the relationship is thriving, do you call it quits or work on it?’
The stunner admitted that she has had bad sex ‘more than once’ in her life, but that ‘bad sex is simply two people who haven’t quite found the language that speaks to their unique lives together yet.’
She continued: ‘And although you occasionally and very rarely do meet someone whom you spontaneously sexually combust with – most of the time, sex is a lesson in true intimacy.’