Aaron Rodgers praises 'incredible woman' Shailene Woodley after reported breakup: 'I've learned so much from her'

Aaron Rodgers
(Image credit: Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

Aaron Rodgers is expressing his gratitude to Shailene Woodley amid reports their engagement has been called off.

The Green Bay Packers quarterback in a new Instagram post thanked a series of "incredibly special people in my life," including Woodley, whom he began dating in 2020.

"Thanks for letting me chase after you the first couple months after we met, and finally letting me catch up to you and be a part of your life," Rodgers wrote, tagging the Divergent star in the post. "Thanks for always having my back, for the incredible kindness you show me and everyone you meet, and for showing me what unconditional love looks like, I love you and am grateful for you."

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Multiple reports last week said Rodgers and Woodley called off their engagement one year after announcing it. "It was an amicable split; it just wasn't working," a source told People. Neither Rodgers nor Woodley confirmed the news, though. The Packers star didn't address the reported breakup in his Instagram post, which also quickly sparked retirement rumors.

But he later appeared Tuesday on The Pat McAfee Show, denying that his Monday night post was "cryptic" and explaining he posted it after completing a 12-day cleanse. "I was going through some old pictures from the last year and felt an intense amount of gratitude for the life that I have," Rodgers said.

Rodgers also said he has "learned so much" from Woodley, calling her "just an incredible woman," adding, "When you have a partner like that, it just makes life so much more enjoyable." After sparking backlash last year for his comments about not getting vaccinated against COVID-19, though, Rodgers admitted he "didn't realize" at the time the impact this controversy would have on his loved ones.

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan is a staff writer at The Week. A graduate of Hofstra University with a degree in journalism, he also writes about horror films for Bloody Disgusting and has previously contributed to The Cheat Sheet, Heavy, WhatCulture, and more. He lives in New York City surrounded by Star Wars posters.