NFL players live and breathe the game, but the intense demands of professional football can take a toll on their personal lives. From grueling travel schedules to all those small distractions that come from being famous, the challenges are always lurking, often leading to massive drama and relationship issues. While these athletes are pretty much superhumans on the field, their off-field escapades have sparked scandal, gossip, and ultimately, break up marriages.
1. Chris Howard And Gabrielle Union
Before Gabrielle Union married Dwyane Wade, she was with former NFL player Chris Howard for four years. Their marriage hit the rocks around 2004-2005 due to infidelity and just basic incompatibility. Gabrielle opened up about their troubled relationship on Dax Shepherd’s podcast, admitting to her own love escapades on the side, because she felt justified after learning Howard cheated on her. They even tried therapy, where the therapist suggested they weren’t compatible and should part ways. What a wild couple.
2. Tiki Barber And Virginia Barber
Tiki Barber, known for his numerous achievements with the New York Giants, found himself floating in lava-hot water in 2010 when news broke of his spicy fling with a hot young intern while still married to Virginia Barber for 11 years. To make things even worse, the cat got out of the bag while Virginia was pregnant with twins. Their divorce was finalized in 2012, and less than a week later, Tiki married the intern, Traci Lynn Johnson.
3. Kristin Cavallari And Jay Cutler
After years of being together and even having kids, Kristin Cavallari called her marriage to Jay Cutler’ toxic.’ The couple had a whirlwind romance, got engaged after eight months of courtship, but split briefly before tying the knot. Despite having relationship issues, they got married in 2013 and had three kids. The couple announced their split in 2020 without revealing any potential details, but later, in a 2022 podcast, Cavallari outright said that the biggest reason for their divorce was the toxic behavior. That’s when Cavallari also admitted that she’d been unhappy for years.
