Alex Rodriguez Cleared Up Those Jennifer Lopez Engagement Rumors Once & For All

It's time to clear up this rumor once and for all: Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez are not engaged. The former professional baseball player told Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford on the Today show on Wednesday that he and Lopez, who have been dating since February 2017, have not taken the next step in their relationship. After noticing Lopez was wearing a huge band on her ring finger during her birthday recent birthday celebration in July, Gifford and Kotb just had to pry Rodriguez for information.

The athlete didn't tell them exactly what they were hoping to hear. Rodriguez first commented on when he gave Lopez the ring and how amazing she looks wearing it. "I did give her that ring. I gave her that ring probably about four or five months ago," he said. "So I got her that ring. She loved it and look how beautiful she looks."

Then, Rodriguez explained that this ring is not an engagement ring. "Of course it has a significance," he revealed. "[But] no, we're not engaged. We're not engaged."

He didn't explain what the "significance" is, but seeing as Valentine's Day was about five months ago, the special occasion lines up with Rodriguez's timeline of when he gifted the Shades of Blue star the massive bling. Maybe the 43-year-old gave Lopez the eye-catching piece of jewelry for the romantic holiday? Let's not forget, Page Six reported on Feb. 15 the couple was spotted at a jewelry store on Feb. 14.

This isn't the first time they've faced engagement rumors. On July 5, Entertainment Tonight reported after Lopez shared a picture with Rodriguez on the beach (below), many couldn't help but notice the ring she was wearing on that finger. Take note, this is a different ring than the one brought up by Gifford and Kotb. But before anyone jumps to further conclusions, Rodriguez was very clear about them not being engaged.

None of this means they'll never get married. Though, right now, they seem comfortable with the type of commitment they have to one another. In a Harper's Bazaar interview published on March 15, Lopez said, "I do believe in marriage. And I would love to grow old with somebody in a committed relationship. But I’m not forcing anything right now. It’s good, it’s healthy; we communicate well."

During a June 11 Good Morning America appearance, Lopez opened up further about marrying Rodriguez. "We have to take our time," she said. "I've made plenty of mistakes in my past and ... we're mature now. We're grown ups and we're going to take our time and we're going to do things at our own pace. And our life right now is incredibly wonderful. Between our kids and our work we're truly blessed. We don't need anything more right now."

Rodriguez responded to Lopez's GMA comments on June 14. "She's the queen," he told Entertainment Tonight. "We're raising our children... there's four of them, and that's what we strive to do every day. For us, it's all about the kids."

If you don't follow either of them on Instagram, then you're missing out on all of their lovey-dovey posts and how much Rodriguez and the actor/singer enjoy spending time together, alone and with their children. They truly seem head over heels in love and perfectly happy without being engaged or thinking about marriage right now.