Danica Patrick's Past Relationship Claims Prompt Furious

Former NASCAR star Danica Patrick is back in the headlines after her ex-boyfriend, NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers, launched a public counterattack against her past claims about their relationship. Rodgers, 42, made the comments during a recent appearance on the Not only Football with Cam Heyward podcast, directly addressing Patrick's description of their 2020 breakup.

Patrick first detailed her experience of the relationship during a May 2025 interview on The Sage Steele Show. The retired driver, who was with Rodgers for over two years, described the split as sudden and devastating. She characterized the relationship as emotionally abusive, stating it wore her down. "He leaves a trail of blood," Patrick said at the time. She added that the difficult experience ultimately gave her "the greatest gift, which is myself," forcing her to prioritize self-care.

Rodgers, now with the Pittsburgh Steelers, broke his long silence on the topic in the September 2026 podcast interview. His reaction was pointed and dismissive. "I dated two women [Danica Patrick and Shailene Woodley] whom nobody gives a f--- about unless they drop my name," Rodgers told his teammate Cam Heyward. This marked a stark shift from his previous, more reserved public comments about Patrick. The quarterback spent much of the interview discussing his current wife, Brittani, whom he met in 2017, calling her the person who changed his life and expressing regret over not proposing to her sooner.

Patrick and Rodgers were a high-profile couple from early 2018 until their breakup in July 2020. Their relationship coincided with the latter part of Patrick's pioneering racing career, which included being the most successful woman in NASCAR history. The split occurred as Rodgers was entering his final seasons with the Green Bay Packers. Patrick has spoken openly in various forums about the personal toll of the breakup, while Rodgers had largely avoided the subject until this latest outburst.

The public airing of this old grievance pulls Patrick back into a media spotlight she has largely stepped away from since retiring from full-time competition. It refocuses attention on a painful personal chapter just as she has built a post-racing life focused on business, broadcasting, and wellness. For fans of the trailblazing athlete, it serves as an unwelcome reminder of the intense scrutiny her personal life faced during her racing peak.

• Aaron Rodgers publicly criticized ex-girlfriends Danica Patrick and Shailene Woodley in a September 2026 podcast.
• Patrick had previously described their relationship as "emotionally abusive" in a May 2025 interview.
• The couple dated for over two years before splitting in July 2020.