Why Is NFL Star Aaron Rodgers Estranged From His Family? Inside Relationship With Parents, Brothers

Aaron Rodgers’ alleged feud with his family has been making headlines for more than 10 years. However, it hasn’t always been clear what led to the rift between the NFL quarterback and his parents, Ed and Darla Rodgers, and two brothers, Luke and Jordan Rodgers. The family members and people close to them have provided some insight through the years. Aaron himself also spoke out about their relationships in Ian O’Connor’s August 2024 book, Out of the Darkness: The Mystery of Aaron Rodgers.

Aaron Rodgers’ Relationship With Dad Ed and Mom Darla

In 2017, Ed confirmed to The New York Times that Aaron had not spoken to the rest of the family since 2014, telling the outlet that “fame can change things.” At the time, Aaron was the star quarterback of the Green Bay Packers.

Aaron dated Olivia Munn from 2014 to 2017. The timing of their relationship and the football player’s estrangement from his family led to rumors that the actress played a role in the divide. Sources in Ian’s book claim that Olivia forbade Aaron’s parents from attending his football games and even sent back their Christmas presents. However, Aaron told Ian that Olivia had “nothing to do with all the years” of “deep-rooted” issues in the family, according to People.

Olivia even revealed in 2018 that she encouraged Aaron to reconnect with his family by giving them a phone call.

“They had a really nice conversation, then they started coming out my first year when I was in Green Bay in 2014,” she recalled on Andy Cohen Live. “I just think it’s really important to try to mend things in a family, and I encouraged that.”

In addition to fame allegedly contributing to the rift between Aaron and his parents, the NFL star’s comments about religion in 2020 reportedly upset Darla and Ed, who are devout Christians. At the time, Aaron told then-girlfriend Danica Patrick on her “Pretty Intense” podcast, “I don’t know how you can believe in a God who wants to condemn most of the planet to a fiery hell. What type of loving, sensitive, omnipresent, omnipotent being wants to condemn his beautiful creation to a fiery hell at the end of all this?”

Celebrity Crossword 17

Crosswords

A source told People that Ed and Darla were “dismayed” by the comments.

Inside Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Rodgers’ Relationship

Jordan first publicly revealed the family’s rift in 2016 while appearing on JoJo Fletcher’s season of The Bachelorette. He admitted that he was close to his oldest brother, Luke, but said Aaron had distanced himself from the rest of the clan.

“It’s just the way he’s chosen to do life,” he explained on the show. “I chose to stay close with my family and my parents and my brother [Luke].”

Jordan later seemed to snub Aaron in a 2018 Instagram post for National Sibling Day. He shared a photo of himself and Luke and gave his oldest brother a shout-out, but he did not include Aaron in the post.

“He is the coolest, best dressed, has the biggest heart, lovable, best griller, little kid big brother I could ask for. Love you bro!” Jordan wrote of Luke.

Aaron was also seemingly absent from Jordan’s 2022 wedding to JoJo.

A source told People that Jordan and Aaron’s feud stems from sibling rivalry in their childhood. “[They] have always been competitive, and they’re always trying to one-up each other,” the insider explained. “It’s been that way since they were kids. They got older, and the stakes got higher.”

Aaron Rodgers and Brother Luke Rodgers’ Relationship

The details of Aaron’s feud with Luke have largely remained a mystery through the years. Ian shed some light on the rift in Out of the Darkness, revealing that it came to a head in May 2015 when Aaron allegedly backed out of former college teammate and roommate Francis Blay-Miezah’s wedding the night before the ceremony, despite previously agreeing to be the best man. Luke attended the wedding with his parents and shared photos, using hashtags that seemed to throw shade at Aaron.

“#truefriendsshowup … #wouldntmissitfortheworld … #rememberwhereyoucamefrom,” the post read, according to the book.

Aaron allegedly did not want his family at the wedding and felt like Francis “could and should have honored his request to not invite” them, Ian wrote. A family friend told Ian that the wedding was the “last straw” for Luke, who felt like he didn’t “even want to f–kin’ know [Aaron] anymore.”

Aaron and Luke also reportedly didn’t see eye-to-eye on Luke and Austin Casselman’s Pro Merch apparel company, which made T-shirts that had Aaron’s face on them.

“[Aaron was] on board with Pro Merch early on, until he wasn’t,” Ian wrote.

Finally, Aaron was allegedly “unhappy” with Luke’s 2012 appearance on Clean Break, a show about men escaping their everyday lives in Hawaii.

“Aaron was annoyed by the notion that Luke needed to break free from his shadow after he provided him with financial support,” Ian wrote.