Danica Patrick opens up about "emotionally abusive" relationship with Aaron Rodgers

Former NASCAR driver Danica Patrick has opened up about the emotional abuse she suffered at the hands of NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers, calling their relationship "emotionally abusive" and reflecting on how it profoundly affected her self-esteem and development.

On a recent visit to "The Sage Steele Show," Patrick was questioned about the most hurtful thing that has happened to her. She answered, "The break up with Aaron in 2020, because it was unexpected. It was my life. So when you're living with somebody, it's your entire life… And because the dynamic of the relationship was emotionally abusive, so that beat me down to nothing.”

Patrick, 42, and Rodgers, 40, initially met in 2012 at the ESPY Awards but went public with their romance in January 2018. The romance of the couple was constantly in the limelight, with Patrick having previously shown his backing for Rodgers' career and poking fun at the possibility of marriage in media interviews. Their romance came to an end in July 2020.

Looking back at the breakup, Patrick opened up the degree to which her self-confidence and self-esteem were destroyed. "Someone that you know, people could never picture that I would be lacking in confidence, or faith in the simple things regarding who I am. Everything was pulled apart. He leaves a trail of blood. I don't think I'm saying too much earth-shattering things after we — there's been enough out there," she continued.

In spite of the suffering, Patrick highlighted the growth that came out of the ordeal. "But it gave me the greatest gift, which is myself. It gave me the greatest gift of how much I needed to show up for myself and take care of myself," she said.

Rodgers himself has spoken before about the difficulty of having a relationship in the spotlight, saying in 2017 to ESPN, "When you're living out a relationship in the public eye, it's certainly... it's tough. It does have some additional constraints because you have other people's opinions on your relationship, how it impacts your work and, you know, just some inappropriately made connections."

Since their breakup, Patrick has continued to prioritize her growth and career, frequently taking fans along with her on her journey of self-discovery. Her recent statements offered some insight into the nature of famous relationships and the strength it takes to heal and move on.