Is Jordan Rodgers the most strategic winner in "Bachelorette" history?

"Bachelorette" JoJo Fletcher Gives Out Her Final Rose | E! News

Jordan Rodgers may not have lasted long as anNFL quarterback, but he approached his stint on The Bachelorette this season with all the precision of an eliteathlete.

From his very first appearance, Jordan employed a shrewdstrategy that ensured his victory on ABCs reality dating competition. His dedication paid off: On Monday nights finale, Jordan was crowned the winner when JoJoFletcher accepted his marriage proposal, choosing him over runner-up Robby Hayes.

[The Bachelorette finale: The (real) winners and losers this season]

Like any hard-fought victory, the road was noteasy. The After the Final Rose special was unusually somber, asJoJo and Jordan admitted its been a rough few months. As the show aired, they had to seeone unflattering tabloid story after another, many withthe same narrative: that Jordan is a fake, fame-seeking narcissist who is just using JoJo to become a celebrity or get a football commentator job. (Not to mention theories about why hes estranged from his famous brother, Green Bay Packers star Aaron Rodgers.)

JoJo told host Chris Harrison that althoughshe should have been basking in the glow of being newly engaged, she was instead bombarded with negative headlines about how her fiance doesnt really love her.That hurts me, JoJo said. Not because I think its true, but its just hard to have that on you when it should be a really amazing time in your life.

If Jordan inspired this much vitriol, how did he even get this far?Again, its all about game strategy and after watching this entire season, heres how he pulled it off, easily becoming the most calculating winner in Bachelorette history:

1. He started strong.

First impressions really are everything. In the premiere, in May, Jordan landed the prime first contestant out of the limo spot and was the very first guy to greet JoJo at the Bachelorette mansion. Unlike some contestants, who arrive with nerves or terrible pickup lines ora Santa costume, Jordan strolled in as thoughhe owned the place. JoJo was immediately taken with hissuaveconfidence and spectacular hair; that same night, Jordan snagged the seasons first kiss as the two demonstrated they had immediate chemistry. Jordan also got the coveted first impression rose, cementing him as a front-runner.

2. He was honest about his faults.

Unlike Robby, who lookedpanicked when confronted with rumors that he broke up with a longtime girlfriend to film the show, Jordan was smooth when JoJo asked him about his past demons. Its clear that Jordan had issuesafter the premiere, one ex-girlfriend took to Instagram and accused him of cheating on her. Anyway, before The Bachelorette started filming,JoJo heard something along those lines about Jordan from a girl who dated him. On a date about halfway through the season, JoJo asked Jordan to clear up these rumors.

[The embarrassing history of Bachelorette contestants lying about past relationships]

Instead of clamming up, Jordan did not deny that he was a terrible boyfriend, and he admitted he was too consumed with his fledgling football career to think about other people. As Yahoo recapper Kristen Baldwin put it, it was a fairly mature answer for a dude who wears so much hair product.

3. He confided an emotional (and juicy) personal story.

Its especially crucial for every Bachelorette dude to prove that he has a sensitive side, and Jordan passed this test with flying colors several episodes ago as he confessed to JoJo that hehas no contact withhis brother, Aaron. Not only did the story show that Jordan could open up about his feelings, it provided a rare look into the inner workings of the family of a celebrity. Jordan did not go into much detail, but he demonstrated that he trusted JoJoenough to open up about something painful in his past while also earning him sympathy points and even more publicity. It was a genius move.

4. He presented a challenge.

Playing hard-to-get is infuriating,but of course it usually works everyone wants what they cant have. But how does one appear not too available when theyre on a reality dating show? Just look at the masterful moves of Jordan in the penultimate episode. Jordan told JoJo he loved her early on, but when it came time for her to pin down his future plans, he was pretty shifty. Check out this conversation:

JOJO: We have not talked at all about what the future would be like. So in your mind, what does the next year look like for you?

JORDAN: Um (long pause) itsa tough question to answer.

JOJO: (nervous laugh)

JORDAN: It kind of depends. I dont know what its going to look like exactly, 100 percent.

JOJO: I think that makes me nervous.

JORDAN: Really? Why?

Hmmm, Jordan, why do you think? Maybe because shes on a reality show where the whole point is to get engaged? After a prolonged discussion, Jordan finally relented with an answer that did not really reflect her original question (Ihave a feeling when Im with you that Ive never had before, I truly think I am a better person with you.) Yet JoJo professed to the camera that she felt much better after their talk. Somehow, Jordan was able to reel her in even more while maintaining an air of mystery and unavailability which, as everyone knows, is annoyingly irresistible.

[When The Bachelorette talks love and marriage, Jordan Rodgers gets suspiciously quiet]

5. He knew JoJo was in love with him and he told her exactly what she wanted to hear.

Jordans language while talking about JoJo, both to her and to the camera has always been as cliche as it gets: Im here because I am so in love with JoJo. And she is exactly what I want in my wife. While thats par for the course in Bachelor land, Jordan took it to a new level in the finale, which featured another frustrating conversationafter Jordan failed to ask JoJos father permission before he proposed.

JoJo was angry about this, and they went around and around in circles about Jordans intentions and whether he was ready for marriage. Finally, Jordan implied (in so many words) that he did not want to look like an idiot if he asked for JoJos hand in marriageand she choseRobby.

Instead of this being a deal-breaker, JoJo seemed to take this as a sign of Jordans vulnerability they worked through it, and in the end, Jordan broke the rules and contacted her parents by phone, just to get their permission before he proposed. He confessed this all in a letter to JoJo, which naturally drove her to tears of joy, just before she accepted his proposal of marriage.

Read more:

Ive exhausted all other options": This is why people try out for The Bachelor

On The Bachelorette, Jordan Rodgers reveals his estranged from his famous brother, Aaron

Why some viewers are furious Jake Pavelka was in The Bachelorette premiere

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