Shawn Johnson and Andrew East Insist Their Marriage Isn’t a Perfect 10

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Shortly after their second date, Shawn Johnson East knew she had found someone special in NFL long snapper Andrew East.

It had been nine months since his older brother, Guy East, a cyclist on the U.S. national team, had first made plans for a meeting in Los Angeles. At that time, the Olympic gymnast was competing on the all-star season of Dancing With the Stars, where she finished in second place. That was when they last saw each other.

After Shawn flew to Nashville for a four-day visit with the athlete from Vanderbilt University – which felt like a second date – he immediately knew he was falling in love. As he told TopMob News in 2023, he thought, “Yes, I could definitely build a life with this person.”

East, who is 34, texted her repeatedly after their first date because he felt he was falling for her quickly. “I think I was falling in love before she was,” he explained.

He’s good-natured about living in his wife’s shadow, recalling a moment from their appearance on last year’s Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test where he admitted his “ego doesn’t get much attention” being married to an Olympic champion. The football player jokingly added that people often refer to him as “Shawn’s husband.”

Which, he’s fine with. Truly. 

Andrew recently told TopMob News that the topic came up during a casual conversation in a car. He was reflecting on how marrying Shawn helps keep him grounded, as she’s much cooler than he is and prevents his ego from getting too big. He appreciates that she readily reminds him of that, which he finds beneficial.

Shawn understood the joke might not have been clear to everyone—she explained that depending on whether you know her husband Andrew, it either made sense or seemed strange. However, she’s very familiar with his tendency to make fun of himself.

Plus, he’s thrilled with his role as Shawn’s No. 1 fan. 

What I’m most proud of is my wife,” he told TopMob. “It feels great to be able to celebrate her accomplishments – she’s truly amazing.”

It’s not surprising at all that they both say the key to their successful relationship was deciding early on to simply be authentic with each other.

Shawn explained that in past relationships, they often changed themselves to try and be what their partners wanted, which was draining. They decided to be upfront and honest from the start, giving the relationship their all but agreeing it was okay if they weren’t a good fit for each other.

Spoiler alert: The vibes were good.

Four months after their spontaneous marathon date, Shawn moved to Tennessee with his wife and their three children: Drew, age 6, Jett, 4, and Bear, 2. They’ve been happily married for seven years and now call Tennessee home.

Andrew was attracted to her kind heart, down-to-earth personality, and her smile, which he found irresistible. Shawn appreciated that she was comfortable being herself and letting go of pretenses.

I used to try so hard to please everyone and be perfect that I felt like I couldn’t truly relax and be myself, she explained. But with Andrew, it was different – he was so carefree and didn’t worry about what others thought, and that made me feel like I could finally be authentic.

The athlete went on to say that the coach really boosted their confidence, which they greatly appreciated, and that there were many other positive effects as well.

Honestly, every time I see someone online calling them #couplesgoals, I get a little worried. She’s told me she fears it makes their marriage look as perfect and easy as one of her routines – like when she nails a back tuck on the balance beam. It’s like she feels pressure to keep up that image of effortless perfection, and it’s just not realistic!

Because don’t get it (whip-triple) twisted, both require a great deal of dedication. 

Shawn explained he wants to show that relationships aren’t always easy, because they’re not supposed to be. He believes it’s important to be real about the challenges of marriage, acknowledging that it takes effort, but can also be incredibly rewarding and fulfilling.

That’s why they started the podcast Couple Things, adding it to their existing projects, including their upcoming book, The Courage to Commit.

Shawn remembered that Andrew made the decision to start the project five days after Shawn had his son, Drew. Andrew announced the launch publicly, even though they hadn’t recorded a single episode yet. Surprisingly, it still reached number two on the charts without any episodes being available.

She turned to her husband and explained, “I was so angry I nearly punched him. I thought, ‘Are you serious? Now we’re really stuck doing this!’ That’s how the whole thing began.”

Once they worked through a small disagreement, she shared that she actually enjoyed the experience, as it allowed them to connect with interesting people.

I’ve been hooked on their podcast! They’ve had some amazing guests – like Kaitlyn Bristowe and Jason Tartick, who were still engaged at the time, and the incredible Glennon Doyle and Abby Wambach. They also talk to relationship and parenting experts. It’s so real – they even recorded an episode last September called “most common things we argue about” while they were actually having a disagreement! It was fascinating (and a little awkward) to listen to.

And along the way they’ve amassed a tool-box-worth of strategies to strengthen their union. 

Johnson shared that they really appreciate how each interview provides them with new ideas and small improvements they can use in their marriage. They’ve collected quite a few of these helpful insights over time.

Among the most useful information they’ve gleaned is about the art of fighting fair. 

Shawn shared that Steve and Linda Znachko, founders of He Knows Your Name Ministry, explained a helpful approach to arguments in marriage. They suggested that if both partners are committed to the relationship regardless of disagreements, it changes how you experience those arguments. Knowing the outcome—that the relationship will continue—reduces the feeling that something important is at risk.

As Andrew pointed out, the core question is: how do they navigate this conflict and still end up together?

That’s just one of the many things we’ve learned,” Shawn explained, adding that they’ve also gained some insights of their own after more than ten years together.

The most crucial thing couples can do before their wedding isn’t about the details like seating or food. One bride emphasized that premarital counseling, which they did before their 2016 wedding, completely transformed their relationship – and she added with a laugh, ‘It’s not an exaggeration!’

Before getting married, they took a fast-paced course that involved personality tests and lots of conversations about what to expect at home – things like how they’d communicate and what they might argue about. As Shawn put it, it took away the dreamy, early-love feeling and faced reality. The course prepared them for the tough parts of marriage, helping them figure out how to handle challenges before they even happened.

Among the landmines they discussed: The particularly tricky transition into early parenthood. 

“Are we thriving or surviving at the moment?” joked Shawn. “Always just drowning.”

To stay afloat, the team has implemented several helpful routines. Andrew emphasized the importance of evening debriefs, even when he’s exhausted and just wants to relax with TV or his phone.

Regular Thursday date nights are a must in our relationship. He explained that even when we’re having a disagreement, we still make time for each other. ‘Sometimes you’ll be arguing, and sometimes you’ll be really happy, but you go on date night anyway,’ he said. ‘It encourages you to work things out and keep the lines of communication open, even when you’re upset.’

As a long-time observer, I’ve heard so many parents describe this exact phase, and Shawn really hit the nail on the head. It’s unbelievably tough when you’re right in the thick of toddlerhood. Everything revolves around just keeping little ones fed, clean, and getting them where they need to be, and it completely drains you. You’re exhausted, constantly on edge, and often don’t even have time to eat properly. It’s a recipe for tension and, honestly, a lot of arguments. It’s a really challenging time, and so many of us can relate.

They call their regular check-ins ‘our time to connect,’ where they ask each other how they’re doing, share what they’ve been reading, and talk about what’s been happening in their lives.

When asked who they’d most love to have as guests, the Easts mentioned several celebrity couples: Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher, Hailey and Justin Bieber, Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard, and recent former presidents George W. and Laura Bush, as well as Barack and Michelle Obama.

Shawn and his co-host both admitted they have huge crushes on Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively, and would love to interview them. However, they joked that starting the interview would be awkward, given their open admiration for the couple.

If nothing else, it’d make for great date night fodder. 

Andrew explained that they always talk through their experiences afterward. Whenever they go on a date, Shawn and he spend the entire time discussing what they each discovered that day.

When asked about a memorable lesson, Andrew highlighted an episode from January 2021 featuring musician Drew Holcomb and his wife, Ellie. They discussed how joy and pain often happen together.

Andrew admitted that marriage isn’t always easy, but he believes overcoming challenges is what ultimately leads to the good times. He prefers to see difficult periods as having a purpose – to help them grow and reach a better place together. He described it like going through a low point to eventually reach a high one.

Once you’ve achieved victory, the small mistakes you made to get there don’t seem so important, do they?

Keep reading to relive their most gold medal-worthy moments.

(This story was originally published on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023 at 3 a.m. PT.)

Shawn and Andrew appear with their third baby, son Bear, in December 2023.

Shawn Johnson East and Andrew East welcomed their third child on Dec. 12, 2023.

The former NFL player already has a sweet connection with baby No. 3.

The newborn shared a hug with big sister Drew, born in 2019, and brother Jett, born in 2021.

The gymnast captioned this cute shot of her thirdborn with the bear emoji.

Shawn and Andrew, married since 2016, recently shared a photo with their children, Drew and Jett. Shawn playfully referred to the 2022 portrait as “Just the Hulk and his family.”

For Halloween 2023, the guys chose their fighters as the girls went for magical vibes.

In August 2022, Shawn shared that his baby had a new favorite toy, bringing lots of giggles and smiles – he couldn’t stop playing with it!

The fam was ready for fireworks on July 4, 2022. 

Shawn and Andrew relaxed with a swim alongside their kids.

Drew modeled her one-piece swimsuit during a family pool day.

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2026-02-14 21:19