Why Did Sharelle Rosado and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson Break Up? Inside the Couple’s Drama

Former NFL player and host Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson is known for his passions on and off the field. While many sports fans met him as a wide receiver in the early 2000s, playing for Cincinnati Bengals, New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Montreal Alouettes, and Fundidores de Monterrey, pop culture aficionados have focused more on his personal life, namely his love connections.

Throughout his career, Chad's romantic relationships have made him a hot topic on social media and beyond.

The athlete has been romantically linked to celebs like Teyana Taylor, K. Michelle, and Basketball Wives star Evelyn Lozada. Chad was married to the latter in July 2012, but they divorced soon after he was arrested for allegedly head-butting her the following month.

After several ill-fated romances, the Miami, Fla native finally met his match in model and reality star Sharelle Rosado. Sharelle and Chad, who share a child, ended their engagement in October 2024. So, what led to their split? Here's the scoop.

Sharelle and Ochocinco started dating in 2020 after connecting on Instagram. Their relationship went from dating to more serious when she became pregnant with their daughter, Serenity. In January 2023, Chad surprised Sharelle with a proposal on what she thought was an early birthday party. According to People, he invited 20 of their loved ones to the event so they could witness the proposal.

By October 2024, the couple's seemingly cozy life became social media fodder when Sharelle confirmed via X (formerly Twitter) that they had called off their engagement. The W.A.G.S. to Riches star shared in a since-deleted post that he was "a free man" after four years of being together.

Chad later confirmed the split via Instagram Stories with a lock emoji, signaling he was ready to fight for the relationship. He also shared on the Nightcap podcast with his co-host Shannon that Sharelle blocked him on Instagram.

In January 2025, Sharelle opened up about what led her and Chad to break up. During an episode of Carlos King's podcast, Reality With the King, she said went through his phone and found out he had been texting other women.

"The s--t I saw was crazy," Sharelle told Carlos. "When we were together, there were some… going on, and I found out about it, texting other women, you know."

She added that she eventually contacted one of the women Chad was texting to confirm that they knew he was in a relationship.

"I was like, ‘F--k this s--t," she recalled. '"Do you know who I am?’ I know who you are and I respect what you have. But it is what it is. And nobody’s perfect. I just feel like, when things happen be honest about it. It shouldn’t lead to that point of how I’m finding out."

Sharelle and Ochocinco's split came as a surprise to fans who had been following their relationship. Many people wondered if the breakup was even real based on its timeline. Sharelle discussed the breakup on Reality With the King the same month her new show aired on Netflix on Jan. 22. Her W.A.G.S. to Riches co-star Lastonia Leviston, nicknamed “Stoni,” who is the mother of rapper Rick Ross’ first child, told the other ladies the breakup was for PR.

In January 2025, Sharelle told The New York Post she believed the rumors that she used her relationship for PR was laughable, especially since the couple have a child together.

"If it was just PR then we wouldn’t have a child together, I mean, make it make sense,” she declared. “I think some people just speculate and assume or, you know, wish their situations were different and wish they had their situation the same as ours at times. But people are going to speculate. At the end of the day, we know what we have, we know what we created. If we’re together or not, we’re going to support each other.”

Chad, for his part, hasn't shared if the rumors about his breakup being a PR stunt is true. However, he said in an Instagram Live on Jan. 27, 2025 that he still planned on getting married on the couple's proposed wedding date in February.

Breaking up is so, so hard to do.