“He leaves a trail of blood”: Danica Patrick opens up about emotional abuse in Aaron Rodgers' relationship

IndyCar and NASCAR driver Danica Patrick has revealed that her extremely painful split from four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers was the most emotionally traumatic thing that has happened to her. In an open talk on ‘The Sage Steele Show’ podcast, Danica Patrick revealed how the relationship, which ran for two years from 2018 to 2020, left her emotionally drained and made her rebuild herself.
Aaron Rodgers' psychological effect on Danica Patrick created long-lasting wounds
Danica Patrick was not shy as she defined her relationship with Aaron Rodgers as emotionally abusive and surprisingly heartbreaking. The ex-motorsport champion indicated that dating Rodgers became so enmeshed in who she was that losing him felt like losing all sense of herself. The former IndyCar and NASCAR champion speaks out about how her experience with an NFL quarterback made her feel broken but ultimately stronger
Aaron Rodgers has weathered several high-profile breakups, both on and off the field. Following a news-making split with the Green Bay Packers in 2023 and a tumultuous split with the New York Jets at the beginning of the year, the quarterback's off-field love life is back in the spotlight. This time around, it's Danica Patrick opening up about how her relationship with Rodgers affected her health.
“It was sudden,” Patrick said. “Felt like it was my life; when you live with someone, it was your whole life. It's your dentist appointment. It's your hairdo, your clothes. It’s like your mailing address. It’s like everything. And because of the nature of the relationship was emotionally abusive so that wore me down to nothing.”
Patrick disclosed that she lost all faith in herself, feeling broken and bewildered by the breakup. She spoke of Rodgers' history of relationships, saying, “He leaves a trail of blood,” Patrick said, without going into further detail. “I don't think I'm saying too much, you know, earth-shattering stuff. There's been enough out there.”
But, in the midst of the pain, Patrick did find a silver lining. She attributed the heartache to helping her refind herself. “It gave me the greatest gift, the greatest gift, which was myself,” Patrick said. “You know, it gave me the greatest gift of how much I needed to show up for myself and take care of myself.”
While looking back on her attempts to save the relationship, Patrick observed, “I just say I’m built for hard things. I can handle hard things. I just saw it as a hard thing. My nature is to try harder and do more.” She insisted that she felt no shame or remorse, believing all experience makes us what we are.
Also read: 'The resentment that I had at times': Aaron Rodgers opens up about family and fatherhood
As training camps approach and Aaron Rodgers' NFL future starts to fuel speculation, there are still plenty of questions—questions not only of where he'll play, but how his personal past will continue to drive the headlines.