Danica Patrick dishes on 'emotionally abusive' relationship with Aaron Rodgers
Danica Patrick opened up about her former relationship with NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers — calling it “emotionally abusive.”
The retired NASCAR driver, 43, discussed her time together with the NFL player, 41, on the May 21 episode of “The Sage Steele Show,” People reported.
There has been daily speculation that Rodgers could sign to play quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers this season. However, he had not signed with any NFL team as of Monday.
Patrick and Rodgers dated from January 2018 to July 2020, while he played for the Green Bay Packers, E! News reported.
Patrick said their breakup was a painful experience “because it was sudden.”
When Steele asked Patrick to share “the most amount of pain” she’s experienced in her life, Patrick replied, “The breakup with Aaron in 2020.
“It was my life. So, like, when you live with somebody, it’s your whole life,” she said. “And because the nature of the relationship was emotionally abusive, so that wore me down to nothing.
“People could never imagine that I would lack … any confidence or belief in the simple things about who I am. Everything was torn to bits,” she said. “But it gave me the greatest gift … of how much I needed to show up for myself and take care of myself.”
Rodgers said on the Aubrey Marcus Podcast in August 2022 that he learned a lot about mindfulness through their relationship, according to People.
“I was dating Danica and that relationship was great for me because she is on her own journey and spirituality is important to her,” he said. “We both were finding our way, learning about different things (and) practicing meditation techniques.”
Rodgers was also once engaged to actress Shailene Woodley, but they split in 2022.
“I haven’t shared much about my relationship with Aaron because it always makes me cry,” Woodley told Outside Magazine. “It was not right. But it was beautiful.
“I felt like I lost my soul, my self, my happiness, my joy. I really understood depression and anxiety and, like, complete soul detachment.”
Megan Swift is a TribLive reporter covering trending news in Western Pennsylvania. A Murrysville native, she joined the Trib full time in 2023 after serving as editor-in-chief of The Daily Collegian at Penn State. She previously worked as a Jim Borden Scholarship intern at the Trib for three summers. She can be reached at mswift@triblive.com.
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