Athletes Whose Partners Were Clueless About Their Sport
There are quite a few athletes who are just as famous for their relationships as they are for their profession. Take Tristan Thompson for example, whose athleticism is often overshadowed by gossip concerning his seemingly messy love life and his on-and-off relationship with Khloe Kardashian. It's clear that tabloids and fans alike can't get enough of the details of athletes' love lives. As a result, these sports stars are rarely able to keep their relationships private.
Athletes' relationships often fall into one of a few categories. Some of them date other athletes, like NFL player J.J. Watt and his soccer star wife, Kealia Ohai. And, of course, others find love with models — such was the case with Tom Brady and his supermodel ex, Gisele Bündchen. There are also quite a few athletes in relationships with musicians, actors, or even their childhood sweethearts. Oftentimes, athletes' partners are far removed from the world of sports, so it might be safe to assume that they aren't always super knowledgeable about their lovers' professions.
Here are a few athletes whose partners were clueless about their sport.
Aaron Rogers introduced Shailene Woodley to football
In February 2021, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rogers started dating Shailene Woodley. The couple announced their engagement shortly after. "They are very happy together," an unnamed source told People. "It's not surprising he proposed so fast. When you know, you know, right?" The whirlwind romance reportedly came to an end in February 2022. Although the reason for their separation was unclear at the time, an anonymous source told People, "It was an amicable split; it just wasn't working. They're very different people with busy careers and there were obstacles that they couldn't surmount."
Was one of those obstacles Woodley's apparent lack of knowledge when it came to football? Probably not. But it's hard to imagine Rogers being entirely impressed by his then-fiancee's obliviousness to his sport. During a 2021 appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," Woodley revealed that she was clueless about football until she began seeing Rogers. "I've yet to go to a football game, and before I met him, I had never seen one football game before," she said. "I just didn't really grow up with sports — especially American sports. It was never really on my radar."
Rogers and Woodley allegedly got back together following their split and were said to have separated for good in April 2022. Although the couple's relationship may have been complicated behind the scenes, they didn't show it publicly. Suffice it to say, as of this writing, Woodley hasn't been spotted at a football game since.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain tried to improve Perrie Edwards' soccer skills
English soccer star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is a midfielder who has played for top Premier League clubs like Arsenal and Liverpool. In 2016, he reportedly found love with Little Mix's Perrie Edwards. Five years later, the couple welcomed a son, before announcing their engagement on Instagram in June 2022. Edwards shared a series of engagement photos alongside the heartfelt caption, "Last night the love of my life got down on one knee and I said... yes!"
Edwards is often photographed alongside Oxlade-Chamberlain and their little one on the field, so it is clear that she's supportive of his profession. However, is she actually knowledgeable about soccer? The mom is a pop star after all, so the sport has little to do with her career of choice. In 2021, Oxlade-Chamberlain took to Snapchat (via Blood Red: Liverpool FC) to share a hilarious video in which he gave Edwards a soccer lesson — and let's just say that she doesn't exactly appear to be an expert when it comes to the sport. The "Sweet Melody" singer starts out strong in the clip, but she quickly gets frustrated after it becomes clear that her skills don't compare to that of her professional athlete fiance. It looks like Oxlade-Chamberlain won't be done coaching Edwards any time soon.
Shakira 'wasn't a soccer fan' before Gerard Piqué
Although Spanish soccer star Gerard Piqué and Shakira are now a thing of the past, they were once quite the power couple. The stars were never married, but during their 11 years together they welcomed two children. And by all accounts, Skakira likely learned a lot about soccer during that time — whether she wanted to or not.
During an interview with "60 Minutes" in 2020, the couple revealed that they met after Piqué was featured in the music video for Shakira's song, "Waka Waka." While the track may have been the anthem for the 2010 World Cup, the singer apparently knew very little about the sport when she wrote the song. "I wasn't a soccer fan so I didn't know who he was," the singer said of seeing her future boyfriend in her music video. "But when I saw the video, I was like, 'Hmm. That one's kind of cute.' And then someone decided to introduce us."
In 2022, the couple's relationship made headlines after reports alleged that they'd split due to Piqué's cheating. Shakira opened up about the breakup during an interview with Elle in September 2022. "... It's hard to talk about it, especially because I'm still going through it, and because I'm in the public eye and because our separation is not like a regular separation," she said. "And so it's been tough not only for me but also for my kids."
Did Kristin Cavallari have issues with Jay Cutler's job?
Former Miami Dolphins quarterback Jay Cutler and "Laguna Beach" alum Kristin Cavallari were once husband and wife. The ups and downs of their marriage were documented on their show, "Very Cavallari," including the time Cutler faced allegations that he cheated on Cavallari with her ex-friend, Kelly Henderson. His wife believed he was innocent. Regardless, the entire situation still upset Cavallari, with the reality star accusing her former pal of using the situation for clout, per Us Weekly.
This wasn't the only aspect of the relationship that upset Cavallari prior to her and Cutler's divorce — she also seemingly wasn't a fan of her husband's profession. In 2017, the TV personality took to Instagram Stories (via Yahoo!) to vent about Cutler's line of work. "Sometimes I wish I could just say how I really feel about this football [business]," she wrote. "And give commentary about what I'm [really] thinking. How great would that be?" Page Six published rumors that Cavalleri was airing her grievances over Cutler's decision to turn down a plum $10 million commentator position with Fox Sports. Instead, he briefly rejoined the NFL for a one-year contract with the Miami Dolphins.
Three years later, the outlet claimed that this particular aspect of their relationship had played a role in their eventual split. However, an insider told Refinery 29 that none of these claims were true.
Justin Thomas is still teaching Jillian Wisniewski about golf
Justin Thomas and his wife Jillian Wisniewski seem to be head over heels for each other. The couple dated for six years before saying their vows in November 2022. Thomas has shared that Wisniewski has been there for him during some of his most difficult moments. The athlete told People that his then-fiancée was part of the support system that helped him handle the stressful pressure of his job. "I kind of went through that a little bit last year, where I got in a pretty bad space mentally, and it's hard," Thomas said in the 2022 interview. "It's not like something you can just flip a switch and you feel better all of a sudden."
While she may know how to support her husband when he's down, Wisniewski isn't quite as knowledgeable when it comes to his profession. During the Tournament of Champions (via Golf), Thomas shared that his wife wasn't exactly clued up about the sport. "Her level of golf knowledge was very low," he said when questioned about the matter. However, she's apparently an eager learner. "I was texting with her today and told her that the pro-am might be a little bit longer because it's cart path only. And she asked, 'What is cart path only?' So I had to explain cart path only to her." he explained. "Her level of golf knowledge is ... absolutely perfect ... [by which I mean] just enough and not too much."