Signs Carrie Underwood & Mike Fisher's Marriage May Not Last

Carrie Underwood is more than a world-famous country singer with show-stealing legs, or an "American Idol" host (who loves rocking some oddly outdated looks). She's also the mother of two young sons, Isaiah and Jacob, whom she shares with her husband, retired NHL pro Mike Fisher. For many years, Underwood and Fisher's romance played out in the public spotlight as the cute couple attended red carpet events together and shared snapshots on social media of their happy family.

However, the past few years have seemed to take a toll on the pair. Underwood has faced criticism over a number of controversial moments and decisions — including performing at Donald Trump's inauguration in January 2025 — and this has led to the proliferation of some truly messy divorce rumors. In reaction to the pressure of the public eye, Underwood and Fisher have seemingly started to retreat into privacy, but that has only fanned the flames of split speculations.

Despite being married for nearly 15 years, it's not hard to understand why some people might think there's trouble in paradise. While Underwood and Fisher undeniably live a very lavish life together, that comfort comes at a price, which Underwood works hard to afford. Looking at her hectic schedule, their supposed disagreements about expanding their family, and their strikingly different personalities, it's clear that Underwood and Fisher's marriage is filled with some fairly sizable red flags.

While Mike Fisher retired from professional ice hockey in May 2018, Carrie Underwood has been working harder than ever as a queen of country music. The singer headlined a huge Las Vegas residency and is currently serving as a judge on "American Idol," where she's been struggling to measure up to former judge Katy Perry. According to reports, this extra workload hasn't exactly sat well with Fisher, who is now apparently taking on the majority of the parenting duties while Underwood basks in the glow of international fame.

"Mike didn't want her to do 'Idol' initially, but she insisted, and the paycheck is substantial," an unnamed source told Life & Style in August 2024. "Mike is worried Carrie won't be able to balance her life, commuting between Tennessee and L.A. It's a huge adjustment, more than her residency in Las Vegas, which they never saw eye to eye on, either." With Fisher as a stay-at-home dad to their two young sons, at their home in Franklin, Tennessee, he's reportedly not comfortable with Carrie's cross-country career. Another source told OK! Magazine that Underwood's Sin City residency, "Reflections," also caused tension, largely because Fisher is "very traditional" and feels Underwood's music career should come second and "her role as a wife and a mother should be a priority."

Since the early days of their marriage, Mike Fisher has reportedly had a fiery temper when it comes to his arguments with Carrie Underwood. While NHL players are famous for throwing down and getting into heated confrontations on the ice, Fisher apparently isn't afraid to get into high-volume shouting fights with his ladylove. In 2010, the National Enquirer claimed that a source told them that the pair got into a "screaming match" (via NBC Sports) over Underwood not wanting to move with Fisher to Canada after they tied the knot.

Fisher's temper could also be seen on the ice. The former NHL pro famously got into an altercation with Kevin Bieksa of the Anaheim Ducks in 2015 that ended with Fisher knocking out one of Bieksa's teeth with a solid punch. However, Underwood seemed to be impressed by this display of wanton violence. When the country singer joined James Corden for an episode of "Carpool Karaoke," she recalled the incident. "Have you seen his latest fight? He knocked a guy's tooth out. It was pretty hot," Underwood bragged to Corden (via E! News).

To be fair, Underwood herself is known for being able to hold a grudge. There are a whole slew of celebrities who seemingly do not like the "Before He Cheats" singer. She's been rumored to have ongoing feuds with numerous other singers and entertainers, including Taylor Swift, Hilary Duff, and fellow "American Idol" alum Kelly Clarkson, with several of the feuds going back many years. This sort of anger and grudge-holding can be poison for a marriage.

When it comes to building a successful relationship, sometimes opposites attract, and other times differences can drive a wedge between people. This is a danger that Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher have apparently encountered during their romance over the years, as Underwood is something of an introvert, while Fisher is a big fan of socializing and going out.

Underwood reflected on their wildly opposite outlooks on being around other people while speaking with Kelleigh Bannen on her radio show "Today's Country" in 2022. "He's got a million friends and we're always hanging out with them. So yeah, I feel like we balance each other out," Underwood shared (via Hello!), after explaining that she prefers a cozy night in at home. "I don't go places...on my own if it is left up to me and my devices, I would just be a little homesteader and just stay home and do nothing."

Underwood also gets somewhat introverted when she's working on new music, and the couple told Us Weekly in 2014 that Fisher largely lets her be alone to get into her zone when she's creating. "I stay out of her way," Fisher said. "I go golfing or go fishing or something." While they seem to have found a way to balance these differences, it may add to the strain on their relationship.

Carrie Underwood shares two young sons with husband Mike Fisher, and for the singer, it seems that may be it for them for the foreseeable future. In 2018 — before they welcomed their second son, Jacob — Underwood said she wasn't sure if they'd even be able to have more than just their first son, Isaiah. "I'm 35, so we may have missed our chance to have a big family," Underwood revealed to Redbook at the time. In the years between having Isaiah and Jacob, Underwood suffered multiple miscarriages, giving her pause when it comes to having more kids in the future.

Fisher, however, has always wanted to have a big family, and it's been something the pair haven't seen eye-to-eye on since the start of their marriage. Underwood appeared on "Oprah's Next Chapter" back in 2022, and revealed that she felt two children were plenty, adding (via Today), "I don't want too many." Fisher, meanwhile, seemed to disagree, and Underwood explained that Fisher had told her before that he wanted to have seven kids.

That difference of opinion remains a source of tension, according to reports. An unnamed source told Life & Style in May 2024 that Fisher wants to explore the possibility of having a third child via surrogate, while Underwood is resistant to that idea. "She wants to focus on what they have instead of what could be," the source told the outlet. Whether or not they can come to a compromise on how they see the future will likely greatly impact their relationship going forward.