Take a closer look at Carrie Underwood’s dating history ahead of her debut as a judge on American Idol.
Before she became a country music superstar, Carrie Underwood was just a small-town girl chasing a dream on American Idol. Now, nearly two decades later, she’s returning to the show as a judge.
As she steps into her new role, it’s the perfect time to look back at her dating history-a journey that included quarterbacks, actors, and ultimately, a hockey player who stole her heart.
Underwood’s love story with now-husband Mike Fisher began in 2008 with a backstage introduction by her bassist, Mark Childers. Despite the challenges of long-distance dating, their relationship flourished.
“I mean, can I make dating more difficult? Let’s get a hockey guy who lives in another country. Awesome,” Underwood joked on Behind the Music.
But the connection was instant. She texted Childers calling Fisher “hot, hot, hot,” while Fisher later admitted: “Carrie was even more beautiful in person than on TV.”
Carrie Underwood formerly dated Tony Romo (Image: Getty)
They married in 2010 and now share two sons, Isaiah and Jacob.
Before meeting Fisher, Underwood briefly dated Gossip Girl star Chace Crawford from 2007 to 2008.
Their split made headlines when Underwood revealed they broke up over text. “It was completely mutual. We broke up over text so… it’s like ‘peace out,’” she told Extra. Though she insisted there were “no hard feelings,” Crawford’s sister later told People that he took the breakup hard.
In 2006, Underwood was linked to Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. Their relationship didn’t last, but rumors swirled that her 2009 hit Cowboy Casanova was about him.
She shut down the speculation in an Esquire interview, saying: “I would never immortalize a guy that did me wrong. I would never give him that much credit.”
Long before fame, Underwood dated Drake Clark, a fellow student at Northeastern State University, from 2002 to 2005. Their relationship was much quieter than her later romances, unfolding before the world knew her name.
Now, Underwood prepares to critique the next generation Idol hopefuls with her husband and children cheering her on.
