NEWSDanica Patrick Accuses Ex Aaron Rodgers of 'Emotionally Abusing Her' in Shocking Confession: He 'Wore Me Down'
The former couple dated from 2018-2020.
May 24 2025, Published 4:49 p.m. ET
Former race car driver Danica Patrick, 43, opened up on May 21, during a new segment of “The Sage Steele Show,” where she claimed her former relationship with NFL player Aaron Rodgers caused her emotions she had never felt.
When host Sage Steele asked about “the most amount of pain” she’s ever experienced, Patrick firmly replied, “The breakup with Aaron in 2020.”
Danica Patrick Explains 'Emotional Abuse' From Aaron Rodgers
The former racer said 'everything was torn to bits' after her breakup from Aaron Rodgers.
“Because it was sudden, it felt like,” Patrick said. “It was my life. So, like, when you live with somebody, it’s your whole life. 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,” the Indy Japan 300 winner admitted. “Everything was torn to bits.”
“Yeah, he leaves a trail of blood. I don’t think I’m saying too much earth-shattering stuff after we — there’s been enough out there,” Patrick noted of Rodgers’ rocky relationship with actress Shailene Woodley, who said she experienced a “complete soul detachment” while dating the NFL star.
Danica Patrick 'Ignored' Aaron Rodgers' Emotional Abuse
The former racer said she 'ignored' the emotional abuse.
Steele went on to ask Patrick if she realized her relationship with Rodgers was “emotionally abusive” or if the residuals from their split made her come to her senses.
“Hindsight, I ignored it, but in real life, it was just like I just feel like — I would say all the time, ‘I’m built for hard things. I can handle hard things.’ And so I just saw it as a hard thing,” she explained.
- Aaron Rodgers Insists He Has No 'Resentment' Towards His Estranged Family, Comments On A Possible 'Reconciliation'
- Aaron Rodgers Praises Shailene Woodley Just Days After They Called Off Their Engagement: 'I Love You And Am Grateful For You'
- NFL Star Aaron Rodgers Has No Intention Of Reconciling With Family Any Time Soon
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Danica Patrick had to convince herself she was doing the right thing by staying in her relationship with the NFL player.
Patrick detailed how she competed against her ego as she convinced herself mid-relationship that she was doing the right thing by staying with Rodgers.
“And my nature is to try harder and do more,” Patrick continued. “And I was like, ‘What if I don’t do it for the right person?’ Like, what if I just get a stick up my a-- about this and get too proud and go like, ‘You know what, I’m just done.’ Instead of going, ‘Man, just try a little harder because what if you look back and wish you would have tried?’ Like, I would never want that in my life.”
Danica Patrick's Split From Aaron Rodgers Gave Her the 'Greatest Gift'
The former racer said she realized how much she 'needed to show up' for herself after breaking up with Aaron Rodgers.
The former racer noted how she didn’t regret the way her two-year relationship ended with Rodgers because “everything leads to the next big thing.”
Fortunately, Patrick now feels that she came out on the other side as a better person for having been through the abusive relationship.
“But it gave me the greatest gift, the greatest gift, which is myself,” she explained. “It gave me the greatest gift of how much I needed to show up for myself and take care of myself.”
