The Real Housewives of Rhode Island star Rosie Woods has slammed the rumor she had an affair with college basketball coach Ed Cooley.
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"I have never had an affair with Ed Cooley," Rosie, 35, said in part in an Instagram video she posted on Tuesday, May 26.
She added of the 56-year-old married coach, "I actually just don't know him. I've never met him."
During an episode of The Real Housewives of Rhode Island that aired on Bravo earlier this month, Kelsey Swanson mentioned Rosie's alleged "affair with a basketball coach," according to Us Weekly.
"He paid her off to not talk about the relationship, which is why she has money to buy a house that she just bought," Kelsey, 32, said, without identifying Ed as the person Rosie allegedly had sex with.
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Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy then fueled the gossip and actually called Ed out for being involved.
"I'm just saying on The Real Housewives of Rhode Island, Kelsey accuses Rosie of sleeping with the basketball coach, a married man, having an affair, getting paid off not to talk about said affair and that's how she afforded her new house. Ed Cooley's name is swirling around," Dave said in a video posted via social media on Sunday, May 24.
Ed grew up in Rhode Island and was the longtime head coach of Providence College's mens basketball team before suddenly leaving to become the head coach at Georgetown University in March 2023.
"I've been very quiet about a lot of things because it's so stupid, but now that things are making it to straight man Twitter -- thank you, David Portnoy -- I figured I should say my peace," Rosie said in the video.
"First and foremost, I do not know Ed Cooley. I have never met Ed Cooley. I have never been in a car with Ed Cooley... He has never paid me money. He has never bought a house for me."
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Ed is married to Nurys Cooley, and the couple share two children.
Rosie, for her part, married Rich DiMare in July 2024, and they are still together.
"We bought our house ourselves with the money we make at our big grown up jobs," Rosie continued in her statement. "That's how you pay for things when you're a grown up."
Rosie went on to insist that she's "never had an affair with anyone" at all, refuting other allegations that she was fired from her job as a reporter at Providence's WJAR-TV NBC affiliate station for having a relationship with a co-worker.
"I've never had an affair with a co-worker, I've never had an affair with a higher-up," Rosie noted. "Actually, I've never gotten fired!"
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Rosie also shared receipts showing alleged evidence that she quit her job at WJAR after going on "medical leave."
"That's all I'm going to be saying about this," Rosie concluded. "I don't care about any of this stuff. None of it's real. Keep the accusations coming. Bye, guys."
Bravo announced earlier this month that The Real Housewives of Rhode Island has been renewed for a second season.
The Real Housewives of Rhode Island, which stars The Bachelor alum Ashley Iaconetti, debuted its first season on April 2. The show features women navigating drama and friendships in The Ocean State.
"After scoring Bravo's biggest series or season premiere episode ever on Peacock, the latest installment of the iconic franchise is currently pacing as the network's No. 2 biggest series across platforms behind only The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," Bravo revealed in a press release at the time.