Why Christian McCaffrey And Fiancée Olivia Culpo Almost Never Dated

Olivia Culpo came close to passing on a shot at love with Christian McCaffrey, a San Francisco 49ers running back who has a shot at winning a ring during Super Bowl LVIII. Culpo is headed to Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas with a special ring of her own. After nearly four years of dating, McCaffrey took a knee in front of Culpo in April 2023.

These days, Culpo can't seem to stop talking up her man. "He's very loyal. He's very dependable, which I really appreciate. He's also extremely supportive," she told E! News in 2023. The former Miss Universe also discovered that she and McCaffrey have a lot in common, such as their preference for chilling at home. In an earlier E! News interview, she said that the two of them even like to get in bed before 8 p.m., and she shared that she and her fiancée are both huge Potterheads. "We're very nerdy," Culpo said.

While Culpo's 100 percent certain that McCaffrey is a real catch now, this wasn't always the case. In a 2022 Instagram post, Culpo revealed she was hesitant at first when her married pals Kristen Louelle and former NFL running back Tyler Gaffney tried to set her up with McCaffrey. "I was worried it would be the same old story all over again and that all guys were the same," she wrote. 

During an Instagram Live for the S'more dating app, Olivia Culpo admitted that she viewed Christian McCaffrey's career as an athlete as a red flag. "Bad history there. Let's just — turn," she said.

Culpo had previously dated NFL wide receiver Danny Amendola for three years. Their breakup was infamously messy. While Culpo was participating in a photo shoot for the "Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue" in Australia, Amendola was being photographed with Bianca Peters, a sports reporter. They, too, were rocking swimwear while in the surf and sand of Miami Beach. "Olivia is very disappointed and shocked about the photos," a source told E! News at the time.

After he and Culpo split in 2019, Amendola shared a lengthy Instagram post (which is now deleted) complaining about Culpo's social media activity and informing everyone that "the sex was f***ing crazy" (via The Big Lead). Even after that experience, Culpo told her Instagram followers that she decided not to "make decisions based on fear" when offered the opportunity to meet McCaffrey. For her bravery, she's been rewarded with a ring on her finger and a Super Bowl to attend.