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When Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers announced that he was engaged to Big Little Lies star Shailene Woodley he thanked actor Jodie Foster. But no one knew exactly why until Foster was asked that very question during a recent award show press conference.

Here’s why Foster said the NFL signal-caller thanked her even though they never met.

(L) Jodie Foster onstage at American Film Institute Life Achievement Award Gala, (R) Aaron Rodgers on red carpet for NFL honors
(L): Jodie Foster onstage at American Film Institute Life Achievement Award Gala | Jean-Baptiste LACROIX / AFP via Getty Images, (R): Aaron Rodgers on red carpet for NFL honors | Christopher Polk/Getty Images

Rodgers thanked his fiancée and Foster

At the 10th Annual NFL Honors on Feb. 6, 2021, Rodgers won his third MVP award and during his acceptance speech stated that he was engaged before thanking several people.

“It’s an honor to win this award for the third time,” Rodgers said. “2020 was definitely a crazy year, filled with lots of change, growth, some amazing, memorable moments, 180 straight days of having my nose hairs scraped, playing for very little fans or no fans the entire season, I got engaged, and I played some of the best football of my career.”

The athlete then thanked a number of people including his fiancée and Foster. After the Golden Globes a few weeks later, Foster told the press that Rodgers made a video teasing her about the name-dropping. So during her own acceptance speech, she thanked him saying: “I love my wife… Thank you, Alex. And Ziggy. And Aaron Rodgers!”

Foster says this could be why the quarterback gave her a shoutout

When Rodgers thanked the Oscar-winning actor many fans assumed that because she and Woodley are in the upcoming movie The Mauritanian together, Foster may have played matchmaker in getting the pair together. However, Foster said that wasn’t the case. According to the Taxi Driver actor she and the NFL player don’t actually know each other.

“I have never met Aaron Rodgers. But it is possible that I do like to talk about how much I love the Green Bay Packers, and sometimes I can talk a little bit too much about that. So, of course, Shailene is very aware of my enthusiasm for the team,” Foster shared (per E! News) as the possible reason A-Rod gave her the shoutout.

The Silence of the Lambs star previously talked about her fandom during an interview with Conan O’Brien telling the late night host she “likes [the team’s] outfits” and has lots of memorabilia. “I have a cheese beer holder. I got cheese everything,” she said.

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Other celebs who are Green Bay Packers fans

Foster is just one of several celebrities who root for the Pack on Sunday.

Other famous Cheeseheads include actor James Van Der Beek, former One Direction member Harry Styles, rapper Lil Wayne, and singer Justin Timberlake.

As for Rodgers’ bride-to-be, Woodley was never an NFL fan and hadn’t even watched a football game before they met. But it’s safe to assume she’s learning all about the sport now and will be cheering for the Packers next season.

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