Michael Strahan’s Wives: Meet His Two Former Spouses
Michael Strahan is a successful journalist & former pro-NFL player, but did you know he was married twice? Here is everything to know about his two marriages.
- Michael Strahan is a TV host for Good Morning America and a former NFL player.
- He is currently not married.
- Michael has been married a total of two times, most recently to Jean Muggli.
“I think marriage is great, I really do,” said in a of In Depth With Graham Bensinger. “I know I’ve had a few failures, and I say you learn from your failures, right? … I love marriage. I like companionship. I’m not against it at all. Would I ever get married again? I’ll never say never.”
While marriage is not off the table for the former New York Giants player, it’s been a while since Michael had a ring on his finger. The Good Morning America host has been married twice – first to Wanda Hutchins and then to Jean Muggli. Both marriages have resulted in children, with Wanda and Michael welcoming daughter Tanita in 1992 and son Michael Jr. in 1995. Jean and , Isabella and Sophia, were born in 2004.
As Michael continues his journey for companionship and the third Mrs. Strahan, here’s what you need to know about his past two marriages.
His Most Recent Marriage To Jean Muggli
Michael’s second marriage to Jean Muggli “was definitely not the greatest experience,” he said in that 2018 interview. Jean was born on Nov. 30, 1964, according to , which also reports she is the manager of a cosmetic store in New York City. The two reportedly met in a salon, per , and the marriage was a relatively short one. The two tied the knot in 1999, but months after their twins were born, Michael and Jean split.
“It’s unfortunate that some marriages don’t always work out for both parties, but that’s a painful reality of the times we live in,” Michael said in a statement in 2005, per . “I love my children with all my heart and will continue to be the father figure that I had growing up. I owe it to my daughters to end my marriage respectfully and with dignity.”
Michael was the one who filed for divorce, and in 2020, reportedly obtained documents where he accused his ex of engaging in a “pattern of abusive conduct towards the children for years.” Following the breakup, Jean accused Michael of domestic violence after an argument over money, but Parade notes that “a judge dismissed her claims, which Strahan himself denied.”
“I would never physically or psychologically harm any of my loved ones, especially my wife,” Michael said in his 2005 statement. “That’s simply not the man I am. I will continue to respect Jean’s privacy and not contribute to a public spectacle of an extremely private matter.”
Michael sought sole custody of his daughters, but the couple settled on a shared custody arrangement in 2020, per . The arrangement lasted until the girls’ 18th birthday when they were deemed legal adults and free to choose how they spent their time with their parents.
“It’s an adjustment when you see your babies, obviously, they’re not babies anymore, and they’re going to prom and you just don’t want to let them out of your sight,” Michael EXCLUSIVELY at a 2022 ABC press junket. “I’m like, ‘I will gladly drive you and chaperone prom. I have no problem. I’ll clear the schedule for that.’ But neither one of them wants that.”
Michael’s First Wife, Wanda Hutchins
Michael and Wanda Hutchins, an interior designer, tied the knot in 1992 following the birth of their daughter. The two met when he was 17 and living in Germany, where his father, an Army Major, was stationed. “My first marriage with Wanda, we were just young. She’s one of my best friends to this day, and I love her to death. And we have two great kids,” Michael said of his first marriage in a 2018 interview with Graham Bensinger.
Michael ultimately said that both he and Wanda realized they were “out of our league” during their marriage, that they were “kids playing adults.” He split his time between Germany and Texas, where he played football for Texas Southern University. In 1993, the New York Giants drafted Michael, and he became a father for the second time after Wanda gave birth to their son.
In 1996, the couple called it quits after four years of marriage. “I think a lot of times when you split, people assume that the mother is supposed to take responsibility for the kids. But from day one, it was very important for me to be active, to be a part of their life,” Michael told in 2016 when discussing his life and blended family. “I was constantly on planes and phones. And it’s very hard–of course, it’s hard with them being in Germany. But one thing I learned is you make time for what you want to make time for.”
“It wasn’t like, ‘Okay, we split, now I’m gonna write a check and send it to your mom every month, and Daddy will see you down the road,’” continued Strahan. “I’m not operating like that. Getting divorced is probably one of the toughest things I’ve ever gone through, but I learned a lot about myself. When you’re a single father with 4-month-old kids, and you gotta be with them all the time, it taught me that there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
“I can do it,” he added. “I look back on that as one of the most fulfilling times of my life. And I look at my kids now, and it makes me happy because I know it paid off in my relationship with them.”