The Real Reasons These Famous NFL Players Got Divorced
The following article includes allegations of domestic abuse.
NFL players are devoted to the game, and that has certainly translated into the players' personal relationships. From constant traveling for away games to the temptations of stardom, professional football players have many things pulling them away from their families, which sometimes results in divorce.
It takes a certain type of person to maintain a strong, healthy relationship under such circumstances. Take former Los Angeles Chargers (formerly San Diego Chargers) quarterback Philip Rivers, for example. The athlete has maintained a solid marriage to his wife, Tiffany Rivers, for over 20 years. Tiffany and Philip were middle school sweethearts, and she has been by his side throughout his 17-season career. The couple are also parents to a whopping ten children, welcoming their tenth in 2023. In an interview with the Chargers, the QB talked highly of his wife and mother of his kids: "Our family wouldn't be what it is without her. She provides a great steadiness for all of us. She's great for me also from a football standpoint as far as balancing my energy and passion I have for football ... There's no way I could do it without her."
Unfortunately, not every player is a Rivers, meaning not every NFL athlete is as committed to his relationship. The NFL players listed below are well-known for their athleticism on the field, but off the field, they have encountered scandal, gossip, and major hiccups in their marriages that have led to some nasty separations.
Kristin Cavallari labeled her marriage to Jay Cutler as 'toxic'
Reality star Kristin Cavallari had a whirlwind romance with former Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler. After eight months of dating, the pair got engaged in April 2011. However, just three months later, their engagement was called off. Cavallari was hesitant to marry the athlete, detailing in her 2016 memoir, "Balancing in Heels" (via Page Six), that Cutler "envisioned himself being the sole breadwinner and his wife staying at home," which didn't align with her desires.
Despite this, the pair made it work, and Cavallari and Cutler welcomed their first son together in 2012, a year before tying the knot. The couple welcomed two more children before announcing their separation in an Instagram post in April 2020. Cavallari and Cutler have not detailed the reasons behind their divorce, but the reality star has hinted about what led to their downfall in the years after their split.
In August 2022, the Uncommon James founder reflected on her marriage on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast, stating that she had thought about their separation for years. She admitted that her reasonings behind postponing their 2011 engagement ended up also being why she ended her marriage to Cutler. "It was toxic. I think period, end of story. That's all I kind of need to say," Cavallari said, adding, "I was really unhappy, I mean, and that was the bottom line." Cutler called Cavallari's comments "comical" on the "Sofia with an F" podcast just days after her interview.
Johnny Manziel cheated on Bre Tiesi
"Selling Sunset" star Bre Tiesi is the mother of Nick Cannon's son, Legendary, who was born in July 2022. The "Wild N' Out" host is the father of 12 children with six different women. Before Tiesi found herself in an unconventional relationship with Cannon and the multiple mothers of his kids, she was in a serious relationship with a former NFL quarterback named Johnny Manziel.
Manziel and Tiesi's relationship began in 2016, the same year the former quarterback was released by the Cleveland Browns after two seasons due to his off-the-field behavior. The following year, the couple got engaged and tied the knot in March 2018 in a courthouse wedding. After their private ceremony, a source for the couple told People, "She's good for him and balances him, and he's crazy about her."
Their marriage bliss was over by the following year after Tiesi accused Manziel of infidelity. In comments on Instagram, Tiesi wrote, "U been married? U been betrayed? I don't do betrayal for a person I was devoted to period. Vows were broken f*** money and f*** u and every other loser on here." TMZ reported that Manziel called the split "very sad," and their divorce was finalized in November 2021. The reality star threw a divorce party with her girlfriends in Miami that same month. "I do, I did, I'm officially done," a cake made for her party read (via People).
Chad Johnson was arrested for domestic violence
In Season 2 of VH1's "Basketball Wives," cast member Evelyn Lozada began a romance with then-NFL wide receiver Chad Ochocinco Johnson. The couple wed in July 2012, but it was all over by the following month after Johnson was arrested for domestic violence charges.
Johnson was arrested in August 2012 for misdemeanor domestic violence after he allegedly headbutted Lozada during an altercation in their car that left the reality star with a laceration on her forehead. After news of the arrest, the Miami Dolphins cut Johnson from the team. He had previously had an incredibly successful career with the Cincinnati Bengals, a team he was on for 10 seasons, but his career never rebounded after the incident. The former couple's divorce was finalized in September 2012.
In a shocking revelation in 2020, Lozada released a video on social media (via TMZ) where she alleged that Johnson had been physically abusive towards her throughout their relationship. Her accusations came after Johnson commented on Twitter about the incident, "I lost my temper for once in life for three seconds & it cost me a lifetime's worth of work," he said.
Kendra Wilkinson couldn't get past Hank Baskett's cheating scandal
Former girlfriend of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, Kendra Wilkinson, and former NFL player Hank Baskett's nine-year marriage wasn't easy, to say the least. The couple dealt with cheating allegations, trust issues, and depression on both sides, which ultimately led to the demise of their marriage.
The couple, who wed in 2009, faced a significant roadblock in their marriage when Baskett had an alleged affair with a transgender woman while Wilkinson was eight months pregnant with their second child in 2014. Although the couple decided to move on, they continued to share their marital woes on the reality series, "Kendra On Top." They even appeared on Season 3 of "Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars" to repair their marriage. But ultimately, People reported that Wilkinson filed for divorce in April 2018, citing "irreconcilable differences." Their divorce was finalized in February 2019.
Wilkinson and Baskett appeared to be in a better place when she told Us Weekly in 2023, "I'll forever love my ex-husband, you know, he's the greatest father to my kids, and that's all I really just ask for," she said. "That itself is so good. It's good enough and if later down the line things happen, then they happen. I will always love him and I loved him once. Love doesn't just go away."
Kordell Stewart blamed fame for his divorce from Porsha Williams
Porsha Williams was labeled a trophy wife when viewers first met her on Season 5 of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta." Williams was in the beginning stages of her marriage to former NFL quarterback Kordell Stewart when viewers watched her throw lavish birthday parties and happily be a stay-at-home wife. However, according to Stewart, that all changed when Williams became too accustomed to the cameras and chose fame over her husband and family. In addition, their marriage reached a turning point when Stewart claimed Williams fueled rumors about his sexuality. As for her part, Williams told Hollywood Life that it was Stewart's "treatment" of her that caused the pair to split.
In 2021, Stewart opened up on the "Tamron Hall Show" about his failed marriage to Williams and the gay rumors being brought up on "RHOA." "That was true love at the time," he said. "But once you get on the show and things are starting to be insinuated, from the conversations about 'beards' to me being controlling, it becomes a whirlwind of things."
Stewart filed for divorce from the reality star in 2013 after two years of being married. However, their divorce proceedings didn't come without a ton of drama. In a 2014 interview with Access Hollywood (via Reality Tea), Williams made allegations that her ex-husband was physically abusive, which Stewart denied. Their divorce was finalized in December 2013. TMZ reported that Williams received no spousal support as a result of the divorce settlement.
Chris Howard and Gabrielle Union were both playing the field
Before Gabrielle Union married former NBA player Dwyane Wade, she was the wife of retired NFL running back Chris Howard from 2001 to 2005. Their marriage ultimately didn't work out because both parties were unfaithful and were not a match made in heaven.
In an interview with Dax Shepherd on his "Armchair Expert" podcast in 2023, Union spoke about the infidelity during her first marriage to Howard. "I definitely was not getting wife of the year awards," she shared. "In our first marriage, neither one of us felt like the marriage should get in the way of our dating." The actor stated that she felt she had every right to cheat on Howard because he was also stepping out on their relationship. "A part of it was like keeping up with his activities, I was like, 'Oh, that's what you're doing? You're going to feel this one,' and I just felt entitled to it as well.'"
Union recounted to Shepherd that she and Howard attended a therapy session during their marriage. Surprisingly, the therapist said to the former couple, "'I don't know how you made it out of the dating phase,'" adding that they should split because they had nothing in common.
Jason Sehorn and Angie Harmon couldn't make the distance work
A year before Angie Harmon and former NFL player Jason Sehorn separated after 13 years of marriage in 2014, the "Rizzoli & Isles" actor told YourTango that marriage was "a lot of work." The former couple, who share three children, had spent the last years of their relationship in a long-distance marriage, with Harmon working in Hollywood on the TV show and Seahorn staying home with their kids in North Carolina.
According to Us Weekly, the couple's shocking split was because of Harmon's demanding work schedule, which kept her away from her family for months out of the year. A source claimed, "A large part of it is when you spend five or six months a year away from your spouse, it gets really tough." Although the distance became routine for the couple, it became too much. "In the beginning, they really missed each other, but then they got into a groove where one person took over the main responsibilities of parenting while the other was working," the source added. "The dynamic of the relationship changed." Harmon and Sehron's divorce was finalized in 2016.
Mike Caussin was unfaithful throughout his marriage
There were red flags at the start of Jana Kramer and former NFL tight end Mike Caussin's relationship when the "One Tree Hill" actor accused him of cheating in 2014. Despite this, the two wed in 2015. The following year, Caussin's infidelities would cause the couple to split briefly, and the athlete entered rehab for sex addiction. They openly discussed Caussin's infidelities on their "Whine Down" podcast in 2019, which may have helped the pair heal their relationship for a time.
Although they worked through their issues for the sake of their two children, Caussin's continued infidelity was the last straw for Kramer. She filed for divorce in April 2021. According to People, in their divorce filing, Kramer cited "inappropriate marital conduct, irreconcilable differences, and adultery" as the cause of the split. During an interview on "Red Table Talk," Kramer revealed that Caussin had cheated on her with more than 13 women.
In an excerpt from Kramer's 2023 memoir, "The Next Chapter" (via People), she detailed meeting up with Caussin to discuss finances and child custody. The football player demanded to get half of their financial belongings — the actor ended up paying Caussin a total of $592,400 in the settlement when their divorce was finalized in 2021 – and she described her reaction when he told her this. "I choked. I actually was at a loss for words and spun around to him like he was the devil incarnate," she wrote.
Tiki Barber fell in love with a much younger woman
Tiki Barber is a well-respected athlete, having played with the New York Giants his entire 10-year NFL career. However, his life became embroiled in scandal in 2010 after he cheated on his wife of 11 years, Virginia Barber, with an intern.
The athlete's wife was eight months pregnant with twins (they were already parents to two sons) when it was discovered that he was having an affair with a then-23-year-old Traci Lynn Johnson, whom he met while working on NBC's "Today" show. He was not allowed in the delivery room when Virginia welcomed the couple's twin daughters, and his contract with the "Today" show was not renewed. The former couple's divorce was finalized in July 2012. Less than a week later, Tiki married Johnson in a civil ceremony in New York City.
In a May 2011 interview with Sports Illustrated, Tiki revealed that he had left a "bad marriage" and "fell in love with someone else." "You're walking down a path, and you know it's not right. Do whatever it takes to change. Sometimes it's easy. Sometimes it's violent. Mine was violent. But somehow, it seems right," he said.
Michael Strahan's second wife labeled him a cheater and abusive
Former New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan endured a nasty divorce from his second wife, Jean Muggli, whom he wed from 1999 to 2006. In a statement to the New York Post regarding the falling out, Strahan shared, "It's unfortunate that some marriages don't always work out for both parties, but that's a painful reality of the times we live in."
Strahan filed for divorce in March 2005, just a year after the couple welcomed twin daughters. Following the split, there were rumors that the athlete physically abused Muggli, which he denied. In addition, he was labeled a cheater after it was alleged that Muggli knew he was having an extramarital affair. "I would never physically or psychologically harm any of my loved ones, especially my wife. That's simply not the man I am. I will continue to respect Jean's privacy and not contribute to a public spectacle of an extremely private matter," he told the Post.
The divorce was finalized in July 2006, and Muggli walked away with $15.3 million and $18,000 each month in child support. "I never asked for a penny more than the prenup that Michael and his lawyers wrote and made me sign. And all I ever asked for was that to be upheld," Muggli explained to the New York Post. In 2020, Strahan accused his ex-wife of physical and emotional abuse toward their daughters during a custody battle. The case was dismissed, and the former couple agreed on joint custody.
Johnny Unitas's wife cited adultery
Johnny Unitas is regarded as one of the greatest NFL players ever. He held impressive records for most of his career with the Baltimore Colts from the 1950s to the 1970s, including the long-held record for consecutive touchdown passes in 47 games. That record was later broken by Drew Brees in 2012, who held a 54-game streak. After Unitas died in 2002, a 13-foot statue of him was placed in front of the Baltimore Ravens stadium to honor the legendary player.
Besides his awe-inspiring NFL resume, Unitas had an interesting personal life. In 1954, he married his high school sweetheart, Dorothy Unitas, and the couple went on to have five children. In January 1971, Dorothy filed for divorce from the all-star quarterback, citing adultery. At the time, Johnny was dealing with injuries and was traded to the San Diego Chargers. His career with the Chargers was short-lived, and he retired in 1973. The player went on to wed Sandra Lemon shortly after his divorce was finalized in June 1972, and the two were married until his death.
Arian Foster welcomed a baby that wasn't with his wife
Former NFL running back Arian Foster found himself in a sticky situation in January 2014 when a woman named Brittany Norwood declared that she was pregnant with the athlete's child. At the time, Foster had been married to model Romina Lombardo Foster since 2011, and the couple shared two children.
Things only got nastier for Arian when TMZ reported that Norwood filed a lawsuit against him, claiming that he allegedly told her to get an abortion. Norwood also demanded child support from Arian in the suit. However, the two were able to settle child custody outside of the courts. That June, Norwood gave birth to a son named Gatsby Alexander Norwood Foster.
Meanwhile, Romina stayed by Arian's side throughout all the drama. That is until April 2015, when TMZ reported that she filed for divorce from Arian. She told the outlet, "After much thought and soul searching, I have made the difficult decision to end our marriage." Arian declared that he and Romina remained amicable towards one another. "After 4 years of marriage, it has been nothing but a gift. I'm extremely grateful for the wife, mother and person she was to myself and our children. I will continue to be here and support her wholeheartedly on her next journey as I'm sure she'll do the same for me," he told TMZ.
Ryan Shazier got down and dirty via text
Former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier was engaged to Michelle Rodriguez (not the actor) when he suffered a terrifying injury on the field. The athlete sustained a spinal contusion that left him paralyzed after a head-on tackle during a match against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2017. Thankfully, Shazier was able to walk again after rehabilitation. In a 2018 Instagram post, Shazier jokingly called Rodriguez his "true rider" after sharing photos of his fiancée sitting on his lap while he had to use a wheelchair during his recovery. The couple eventually tied the knot in 2019.
In November 2023, Rodriguez exposed her husband as a cheater after she had allegedly found inappropriate text messages on his phone. She shared his private messages with another woman on her Instagram. In one text exchange, Shazier suggested the woman read books on different sexual acts. In a since-deleted post (via TMZ), Michelle wrote, "Infidelity at its finest! I can't sit here and keep hiding anymore. You can have it. I deserve better. This is Ryan ... he's a liar and a cheater!" In January 2024, Ryan filed for divorce from his wife, not vice versa.
Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen differed on their futures
Tom Brady, widely considered the greatest quarterback of all time, and his wife, Brazilian model Gisele Bündchen, broke all our hearts when they filed for divorce in October 2022 after 13 years of marriage. To much surprise, Page Six reported that the former power couple already had the details surrounding their divorce settlement worked out as they had an "ironclad" prenup, which also gave them joint custody of their children.
At first, it was heavily theorized that their decision to divorce came after Brady decided to unretire from the NFL and return for the 2022 season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The model allegedly disagreed with this decision, wanting Brady to spend more time with his children. In an interview with Elle in 2022, she stated, "I have my children, and I would like him to be more present."
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Bündchen called the allegations that she wanted Brady to end his career "very hurtful," adding, "Listen, I have always cheered for him, and I would continue forever. If there's one person I want to be the happiest in the world, it's him, believe me. I want him to achieve and to conquer." In that same interview, she revealed the real reason why the two divorced. "Sometimes you grow together; sometimes you grow apart," she added. "As time goes by, we realize that we just wanted different things, and now we have a choice to make."
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.