For onetime New York Giants star Michael Strahan, May 22 was a big day: He got engaged to Nicole Murphy – and learned that the pilot for his new TV show, Brothers, had been picked up.

"It was a pretty great day," Strahan's manager tells PEOPLE exclusively.

Strahan, 37, popped the question to Murphy (the ex-wife of actor Eddie Murphy) on a beach in the Bahamas with a stunning canary yellow and white diamond ring.

"I have a great relationship and she's a great girl," says Strahan, who is a father of four. "I don't like to talk much about my private life, but I'm really happy."

Murphy, who has five children with her ex, wouldn't comment about the plans for her future with Strahan. But he says that though they've talked about it, "There aren't any plans for kids… We've got nine between us already."

Last year, Murphy opened up about her romance with Strahan. "When I got divorced, I said never again," she told PEOPLE in 2008. "[But] Michael and I talk about everything, and we both love to travel, explore and laugh."

No date has been set for their wedding, according to Strahan's manager.

In mid-September, FOX will premiere Brothers, a sitcom in which Strahan plays a former NFL star dealing with post-gridiron life. Strahan will co-star with Daryl "Chill" Mitchell, CCH Pounder and Carl Weathers.

However, only two months before the engagement he was putting tracking devices on her car. Well, uh, good luck with that ya'll.

STRAHAN'S LOVE BUG

Michael Strahan likes to keep really close track of his women.

When the gap-toothed ex-Giant suspected his longtime girlfriend of cheating, he put a tracking device in her car - and went ballistic when she found it, sources told The Post.

It's the second time Strahan, who now lives in California, used the Big Brother tactic on gal pal Nicole Murphy, the ex-wife of comedian Eddie Murphy, a source said.

But Strahan has been playing amateur snoop for years.

During his nasty 2006 divorce trial, Strahan's ex-wife, Jean, accused the hulking defensive lineman of using high-tech spyware to tap her phone at their New Jersey mansion. She also revealed at the trial that he'd installed a secret video system to record her sister undressing.

Nicole Murphy, a model, and Strahan have been an item since early 2007. They regularly turn up together at red carpet events, and her five kids with Eddie are said to be fond of the NFL commentator.

Murphy boasted in February 2008 that she and Strahan have a relationship based on "communication and shared interests."

But she also had been sharing interests with Universal Records A&R exec Demetrius Spencer.

Introduced by a mutual pal, Murphy had been "hiding" her affection for Spencer from Strahan "for almost a year," the sources said.

Using the excuse of "business trips," a source said, Spencer and Murphy would jet off to exotic getaways in the Caribbean and Mexico.

For several months, the couple had exchanged gushing e-mails, professing their love for each other. In the notes, some of which were obtained by The Post, Murphy told Spencer she planned to come clean to Strahan about their relationship.

Murphy also began to suspect Strahan was checking up on her. There were "too many instances where he knew where she was," said a source.

Things came to a head Feb. 20, after Spencer and Murphy took her Range Rover to a luxury dealership in Thousand Oaks, Calif.. Mechanics quickly discovered the tracking apparatus.

"This is the second tracking device he's had put in her car," one source said.

"This one was found behind the front dashboard." Murphy and Spencer went to have lunch while the tracer - which one source said provided up-to-the-minute location status - was removed.

Seconds later, Strahan barged into the garage, "yelling and screaming," a source said.

Spotting Murphy's car with the tracking device exposed, Strahan walked over, ripped it off the dashboard and stormed out of the shop.

Spencer and Murphy subsequently called it quits, but remain friends, said one source.

In her e-mails, Murphy wrote she was reluctant to split with Strahan because he'd grown close to her kids.

Murphy's assistant declined comment. A rep for Strahan did not return calls.

I give it two years, max - then "HALF!!!"

who is Michael Strahan? Can someone post a picture of him?

uPtoWnNY said:

Eddie's gonna call her and do the "HALF!!!!" sketch on the phone when it happens.

missfee said:

http://www.people.com/peo...28,00.html

uPtoWnNY said:

He just gave up 65% not long ago.

NO TABS



TABS




I saw her in person years ago when she was still with Eddie (pre-boob job). That girl is thinner than a pencil.

That muthafucka was foine as hell when he was playing. He's since lost most of his bulk but he looks really good in a suit.





What the fuck is going on here tho.

Did she get a lump sum from Eddie or is she on the installment plan? If she's on the latter then her finances are about to take a hit. Why they gotta get married? Two divorces and a gang of kids would have been enough for me to say "let's just date."

oh well...i hope it works out for them.

DesireeNevermind said:

He said today on Wendy that she got a lump sum. I don't see the point in their asses getting married. Seems like it's just going to further complicate a messy ass situation.

SCNDLS said:

Say it ain't so Michael.

phunkdaddy said:

Wendy asked him about it and he didn't deny it. He just went on about the Post don't like him but I didn't hear a denial.

Looks like she's got a gap fetish.

SCNDLS said:

SCNDLS said:

Yeah, he talked all around that bad boy!

See...if you have to put a tracking device on someone's car or monitor their calls then obviously you don't trust them and if you don't trust them then you are about to have a doomed marriage. Oh well...I guess Nicole 'bout to get

Mo Money, Mo Money, Mo Money.

DesireeNevermind said:

Gospel truth. Some mfers never learn.

Eddie lost

chocolate1 said:

At first I thought he said yes and nodded but he kept on talking. I was like, "Hold 'em up, back up right there partna." But she let him keep talking. Yeah, this sounds like a perfect guy to marry.

DesireeNevermind said:

So now she gon' get the sitcom money, cuz wifey No. 1 got ALL the football cake.

SCNDLS said:

I was like,
What kind of mess is that?! Then he tried to blame it on his kids and what they'd hear in the media.
Yeah... right.

SCNDLS said:

While Eddie is eating with Johnny Gill every morning playing footsie under the table

bboy87 said:

SCNDLS said:

A visual I did NOT need.....lol.

DAYUM, does she attract the gays or what?

Graycap23 said:

But WHY are you having zero problems envisioning that mess???

SCNDLS said:

Why do I get the feeling this marriage will sink faster than the Titanic?