Aaron Rodgers and Shailene Woodley Were a 'Mismatch from the Start,' Says Source

"In the bubble of the pandemic, it was easy for them to fall in love and focus only on their relationship but that's not real life," a source tells PEOPLE

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Published on February 16, 2022 10:51 PM

aaron rodgers and shailene woodley — Aaron Rodgers, Shailene Woodley. Photo: Getty (2)

Shailene Woodley and Aaron Rodgers' relationship had the odds stacked against it the get-go.

"They fell hard and fast, but it was a mismatch from the start," a source close to the exes tells PEOPLE

"Aaron's a complicated guy," the source says. "No one in their circle is surprised this didn't work out. In the bubble of the pandemic, it was easy for them to fall in love and focus only on their relationship but that's not real life."

Earlier Wednesday, another source confirmed to PEOPLE Wednesday that the NFL star, 38, and the actress, 30, had split, just over one year after he made the surprise announcement that they were engaged.

"It was an amicable split; it just wasn't working," the source, who is close to the Rodgers, told PEOPLE. "They're very different people with busy careers and there were obstacles that they couldn't surmount. They will remain friendly; there's no bad blood and no drama. It just didn't work out for them."

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Earlier this year, a source told PEOPLE the pair oftentimes "agree to disagree" on subjects where they didn't see eye to eye. "They are not talking about their politics, and they never really have," said the source. "They disagreed on a lot of things. Early on, they decided to agree to disagree about things and not debate them."

RELATED VIDEO: Shailene Woodley and Aaron Rodgers 'Agree to Disagree About Things and Not Debate Them': Source

Woodley is an outspoken activist on many political issues, including matters involving the environment. She was arrested while protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline in Standing Rock, North Dakota, back in 2016, for example. That year, she also appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers alongside Sen. Bernie Sanders, whom she was vocal in her support of when he ran for president.

Rodgers, meanwhile, recently spoke out against President Joe Biden's administration while discussing the government's handling of vaccines.

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Woodley began dating Rodgers in 2020 during the pandemic. The athlete announced their surprise engagement in his acceptance speech when he was named the league's MVP during the NFL Honors broadcast on Feb. 6, 2021.

Later that February, Woodley confirmed their engagement, telling late-night host Jimmy Fallon: "Yes, we are engaged. But for us, it's not new news, you know, so it's kind of funny. Everyone right now is freaking out over it and we're like, 'Yeah, we've been engaged for a while.' "

Updated by

Melody Chiu