"Bachelorette" alum Dale Moss is setting the record straight about the end of his engagement with former fiancee Clare Crawley.
The former NFL star took to his Instagram stories Monday and opened up about his heartbreak, saying he now feels more "comfortable" talking about it.
After taking "some time to process everything," Moss said he's been forcing a smile ever since ending things with Crawley.
"This time has sucked, and thank God that I have the friends and the family that I have, because they've literally had to carry me through the last two-plus weeks," he continued. "Building a relationship in general is tough -- especially when you're doing it in the public eye."
MORE: Clare Crawley breaks her silence on split from Dale Moss: 'This was not what I expected or hoped for'"Media will take things and run with them. People will spread lies or always want to point a finger, but the fact of the matter is, there's no one person to blame in this situation," the 32-year-old athlete said. "Like every relationship, we've had our ups and downs and, you know, have gone through our things, but the statements... they didn't come out of nowhere."
"I love Clare and respect Clare enough to let her know how I feel," said Moss. "I wanted nothing more than to make this relationship work."
His statement comes days after the former "Bachelorette" broke her silence about their split, inferring that she was blindsided by his Jan. 19 announcement that the two mutually decided to part ways.
MORE: 'Bachelorette' alum Dale Moss confirms he and Clare Crawley have ended engagement"The truth is I am crushed," Clare said last Thursday. "Our relationship was not perfect, but I can say that I was genuinely invested with all of my heart."
In a since-deleted post, Moss previously stated their breakup was "the healthiest decision for both of us at this time."
The former couple met on season 16 of "The Bachelorette."