Jessica Simpson’s Relationship Timeline: All About the Singer’s Past Relationships From Nick Lachey to Eric Johnson and More
Learn more how they all really went down behind the cameras
Jessica Simpson’s name is recognizable not just from her singing career and domination in fashion, but also thanks to her extremely high-profile relationships over the years. Simpson, who rose to fame in 1999 after the release of her single, “I Wanna Love You Forever,” has dated and married celebrities, from singer Nick Lachey to NFL star Eric Johnson. Take a look at Jessica Simpson’s relationship timeline and see which connections you remember from the headlines!
Nick Lachey
Jessica Simpson’s first marriage to 98 Degrees lead singer Nick Lachey was a rather tumultuous one. The duo met in 1998 through their mutual manager. While Lachey was at the height of his fame, it was still early in Simpson’s career, though it wasn’t long before it blew up, too. Simpson and Lachey quickly grew close, even releasing the duet, “Where You Are,” in 2000.
The couple briefly broke up in 2001 but were soon reunited and swiftly engaged by February 2002. Later that year, the singers tied the knot in a Texas wedding that hosted 350 guests. Soon after, their next project began: a reality TV show called Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica. The show premiered in 2003 and detailed their lives as a newly married couple, including the ups and downs of marriage. One episode even featured their wedding ceremony.
By 2005, it was rumored the couple had split up due to cheating allegations on Simpson (which she confirmed as an “emotional affair” later). In December of that year, Simpson filed for divorce from Lachey, which he explained had “blindsided” him. Both of the singers have since reflected on their marriage, sharing that they were playing the part of the reality TV couple even when the cameras weren’t rolling.
“Jessica and I began playing these parts even when we were by ourselves,” Lachey explained. “It became a really blurred line. There was a question about what truly was our reality.”
John Mayer
Simpson first met the singer and guitarist in 2005 while she was still married to Lachey. Although nothing began until their divorce, the two became occasional pen pals and eventually began seeing each other in secret after her split from Lachey.
It wasn’t long before Simpson and Mayer were seen out together on a regular basis in 2007, though this pairing was just as rocky as her previous one.
“We were great at loving each other,” Simpson shared later. “That was easy, but the relationship was very complex. And it was always on-again, off-again, on-again off-again. And I went back close to nine times!”
Their first split came in 2007, but it wasn’t long before they found their way back to each other. But in 2010, they broke it off for good.
“He’d walk into a room and pick up his guitar, and you’d swoon,” she shared in 2020. “I didn’t really know the man behind the guitar.”
Tony Romo
Simpson’s next high profile relationship was with NFL Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. This relationship occurred in the off-again stage of her time with Mayer, though the musician was a cause for Simpson’s eventual split from Romo.
Simpson and Romo began dating in 2007 after the quarterback admitted that she was his celebrity crush. They became close quickly, with Simpson attending his games starting in December 2007 a month into their relationship.
There were rumors of a potential split between the two in May 2008, but those died down by early 2009 when Simpson dedicated the song, “You’re My Sunday,” to Romo. However, in July of that year, the couple officially broke up and it was partly because of Mayer.
Although they initially claimed their careers were the reason for the split, Simpson later revealed the other factors that played into it. The singer shared that she had seen and communicated with Mayer during her relationship with Romo, although it didn’t go any further than that.
“If John texted or emailed, I would hold up my phone and tell Tony immediately,” she wrote in her book, Open Book. “He knew the hold John had over me, and it was like telling your sponsor when you’re triggered… I hadn’t cheated on Tony at all, but I could not lie and say I hadn’t even seen him. And he broke up with me right there.”
Eric Johnson
Simpson met yet another NFL star and this time he became her husband. The same year Simpson officially called it off with Mayer, 2010, she began dating her future (now ex) husband, Eric Johnson. They became a couple in May 2010 after months of swirling rumors.
Simpson and Johnson got engaged in November 2010. Although they didn’t get married right away, the happy couple did welcome their first child together, daughter Maxwell, in May 2012. Their second child, son Ace, was born in June 2013. In July 2014, the duo took the plunge and married in a California ceremony with about 250 guests.
“We are overwhelmed with complete happiness and love having made our eternal commitment,” the couple shared. “To say ‘I do’ in front of family, friends and, most importantly, our children has been the happiest moment of our lives.”
In March 2019, Simpson and Johnson had a third child together, daughter Birdie.
In Simpson’s 2020 memoir, she opened up about how Johnson helped her get sober in 2017. The singer decided to quit drinking after having had a drink at 7:30 in the morning and Johnson helped her through it.
“Eric gave up drinking the second I did,” she shared. “He said, ‘I’ll do it with you, baby.’ It was like no biggie, and he hasn’t gone back or looked back.”
Despite Simpson and Johnson having a publicly good and strong marriage, they decided to call it quits, with the singer announcing their split in January 2025. The two are currently in the middle of a divorce.
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