Due to Michael Strahan’s popularity, his fame typically rubs off on those around him. Apart from being a former professional American football defensive end, and the fact that he became a media personality after he retired, aspects of life such as his love life have always gained him the attention of the public. Michael started his family life with Wanda Hutchins but their union only lasted for a few years after which he moved on with Jean Muggli. Like his first marriage, what he had with Jean wasn’t meant to be so he moved on again and got engaged to Eddie Murphy’s ex-wife, Nicole Mitchell.
The details of Michael’s relationships with Wanda and Nicole are stories for another day. This article explores the tale of his marriage to Jean and every fact worth knowing about their relationship.
A Look At Jean Muggli’s Life Before She Met Strahan
Born 20th of November 1965 in the United States, Jean Muggli grew up alongside her sister, Denise Muggli. While details about their parents remain unclear, Jean and her sister are believed to have had a normal childhood. However, there are unconfirmed rumors that she has been battling with anorexia since childhood.
For her studies, Jean Muggli had her elementary and high school education in New York City. Jean later worked as a cosmetic store manager where she met her ex-husband.
Apart from the foregoing, it is hard to tell anything else about Jean’s background and the family she hails from. The reason for this is not far-fetched; she only became a public figure when she got married to Michael Strahan a couple of years after his first marriage ended. Beyond the popularity she got from the marriage to the former New York Giants’ defender, she became known even more after their sensational divorce. This is because the divorce warranted a massive $15 million settlement which remains among the most expensive divorce settlements in the sporting world. The marriage which lasted for less than ten years produced two daughters before it came crashing. Read on to learn more about that.
How Jean and Michael Fell In Love
The couple admitted that it was love at first sight for them. After first seeing her and falling for her, Michael frequented the salon where Jean worked as a cosmetic store manager for a month buying soap bars. Jean noticed and admitted in an interview later that she thought he was either the cleanest man on the planet or was working towards asking her out.
The only problem Jean Muggli had was that she never wanted to date athletes. She soon came to realize that Michael wasn’t the typical kind of athlete and so she gave it a try. They dated for several years before getting married on July 18, 1999. The marriage venue was undisclosed and only their close friends and family were in attendance. While this was Jean’s first wedding, Michael had already been married and divorced before, to Wanda Hutchins. He also had a daughter and a son from his first marriage.
In 2004, Strahan and Jean had their first children together when Jean gave birth to twin girls, Sophia and Isabella. They appeared to have had a peaceful marriage until March 2005 when news emerged that there were already cracks in their union.
Insight Into What Tore The Couple Apart
Jean Muggli reported that she was physically abused by Michael and produced past pictures of herself with bruises she claimed her husband inflicted. She claimed that the abuse had left her with a damaged kidney, and she vomited blood for days.
She filed for divorce on this ground and claimed that his interest in her had waned as he no longer slept with her. She also accused him of extramarital affairs. One of the most shocking allegations she brought against the athlete was that he placed a camera in their bedroom for the purpose of filming and watching her sister while she undressed.
Michael Strahan, on the other hand, denied all the allegations and reported that he was only asking his wife for an explanation about the $3.3 million she withdrew. The fight turned ugly and many twists and turns unfolded with the proceedings. Without enough evidence, the physical assault charges against Michael were brushed aside and they were granted a divorce on July 20, 2006.
Why Jean Muggli and Michael Strahan’s Divorce Was A Big Deal
Their divorce was considered sensational by the media because of the huge amount of money involved. It is one of the most expensive divorces in sports even till date.
Jean Muggli was awarded $15 million in the divorce and $18,000 monthly for the upkeep of her daughters. She also got half the amount of the sale from Michael’s ‘Montclair’ mansion which was valued at $3.6 million and sold for close to $3.85 million.
In her argument, Jean pointed out that the children liked to be accessorized, and one of the twins, Isabella, won’t leave home without a purse. So she had justification for spending $22,500 on photo shoots, $27,000 on clothing, and $17,000 on classes for sign language for her daughters.
At the time of their divorce, Michael’s net worth was said to be around $65 million with a yearly earning of $17 million, so it wasn’t difficult for him to pay up.
See Also: Megan Wallace Cunningham Bio, Age, Facts About Craig Ferguson’s Spouse
Where Is Michael Strahan’s Ex-Wife Now?
Not much has been heard from Jean Muggli since her sensational divorce from the athlete. Following the end of the marriage, she moved to North Dakota, where she lives a quiet life.
Jean Muggli rarely attends social events and seem to have dedicated all her time to raising her daughters. Although her former spouse has moved on to date and even get engaged to someone new after their marriage crashed, nothing is known about the love life of Jean.
Jean disabled all her social media accounts and has made an effort to build and maintain a good relationship with her ex-husband because of their kids. Michael even describes her as his best friend and pronounced her a part of his family.
