Aaron Rodgers and Danica Patrick’s Relationship Timeline: The Way They Were

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Aaron Rodgers and Danica Patrick's Relationship Timeline: The Way They Were

Learning from love. Aaron Rodgers and Danica Patrick appeared to be a perfect match ahead of their 2020 split. Us Weekly confirmed in January 2018 that the Green Bay Packers player and the Wisconsin native were dating after they were spotted together in the midwest one month prior. Before sparking their romance, the pair met at the 2012 ESPY Awards. "It was quick," Patrick recalled of their initial interaction during a May 2018 interview on The Jenny McCarthy Show. "I got his email address, and I remember thinking to myself back then, like, 'Oh, on the down low. Not a phone number, just an email address. Which is whatever.'" She and Rodgers kept in touch every so often, but their communication wasn't consistent. "It wasn't until, obviously, recently that we actually had [each other's] phone numbers," the NASCAR champ added. "We referred to each other as Chicago and Green Bay, it was very cute." [jwplayer 1nd8cP5b-zhNYySv2] Five months later, the NFL MVP gave fans an inside look at his relationship with Patrick. "We're really attracted to each other," he told Artful Living in October 2018. "We really enjoy traveling. ... She's a good travel partner because she's so laid-back and low-maintenance. And she's a hell of a cook, so we love just staying in, too. She eats really healthy. She's inspired me in that way." Rodgers, who previously dated Olivia Munn from 2014 to 2017, explained that he'd grown more comfortable putting his love life in the spotlight. "I believe that you should be able to have some private life that's not out there all the time. I have been private for so long, and when you are private, it can isolate you a bit," he told the outlet. "When you just let go and don't worry about it as much, you're actually practicing that indifference all the time. Then any type of response, positive or negative, to one of my posts or one of Danica's posts that I'm in doesn't bother me." The pair's romance continued to heat up until July 2020, when fans noticed Patrick had unfollowed the Super Bowl XLV winner on social media. Us confirmed that month that the twosome had called it quits. Rodgers was later linked to Shailene Woodley, announcing their whirlwind engagement in early 2021. The University of California, Berkley, alum and the Big Little Lies actress split the following year. Patrick, for her part, dated businessman Carter Comstock from April 2021 to March 2022. Following their breakup, both Rodgers and the "Pretty Intense" podcast host continued to open up about their relationship, noting that they each learned a lot from their time together. "You know, the idea that you're going to change someone is a pipe dream. Like, it's just ... someone has to want to change for themselves," Patrick exclusively told Us in September 2021, adding that "knowing yourself" on a deep level makes for stronger relationships. "[It's about] finding someone that has that kind of quality ... and that also fits you in so many ways. That's the other part is, you know, you've got to like doing everything together." Scroll down for a look back at the former couple's ups and downs: [podcast_block]

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July 2012

The pair first crossed paths at the 2012 ESPYs. "We both remember meeting each other, it was quick," Patrick recalled six years later on Jenny McCarthy's SiriusXM show. "I got his email address, and I remember thinking to myself, 'Oh, not a phone number? Just an email address?'"

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January 2018

Us confirmed the duo's romance one month after they were spotted dining at a restaurant in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

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September 2018

"We just watch a lot of sports," the former racing driver teased to Us about how she and Rodgers spend their free time. She went on to gush over her "honest" beau, who she said helped her "gain confidence" and "step outside of" her comfort zone.

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October 2018

The California native opened up about his strong feelings for Patrick during an interview with Artful Living. "We're just two people who enjoy being around each other and love each other," he said at the time. "We're really into each other. So there are going to be posts with each other because we enjoy each other’s company a lot. We're really attracted to each other. ... We really enjoy traveling ... She's up for anything travel-wise, which is fun."

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August 2019

When asked whether she saw engagement in her future, Patrick said on The Jenny McCarthy Show, "You can't be attached to something going a certain way because if you really want something to happen, there's that equal energy of being afraid that it's not going to happen. So you just have to let it go and be like, 'Well, am I having fun today? Yep, then life's good.'"

She joked at the time, "I'll probably get proposed to tomorrow now."

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December 2019

The twosome purchased a home together in Malibu. The 4,636-square-foot estate, which was previously owned by singer Robbie Williams, boasted four bedrooms and four bathrooms with a two-bedroom guesthouse, beach access, an ocean view and a pool.

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July 2020

Patrick's rep confirmed to Us that the athletes were "no longer together" after she unfollowed Rodgers on Instagram weeks prior. Shortly after their breakup made headlines, the quarterback was spotted with Woodley.

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September 2020

"I have just a new and increased love of life and I have made decisions and changes and habits that put me in a lot better head space," Rodgers said on The Pat McAfee Show, describing his mindset post-split. "There’s just a lot of things that have come together in my life over the last few months that have really been enjoyable and reminded me, given me perspective in life and in football to view things through the most positive lens I possibly can."

Rodgers added that he felt "a lot happier" while focusing on "mindfulness and positivity and love and kindness and integrity."

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March 2021

During an appearance on Tamron Hall's talk show, Patrick revealed that splitting from Rodgers was a valuable learning experience. "When you know what you don't want, you know what you do want," she said. "It's not necessarily that they have their work cut out for him but that they're going to be an extremely high-quality person with a lot of boxes to check. It's not as though there are boxes to check, it's just that I know what I want now and I'm not willing to compromise [or] bend as much."

One month later, Patrick made her relationship with Comstock official on Instagram. The duo called it quits after less than one year together.

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April 2021

"I think we learn the most about ourselves through relationships, but there's nothing like heartbreak to really throw you in the deep end of that," Patrick confessed during an episode of Running Wild With Bear Grylls when asked about working through "hard" breakups. "But I've learned a lot and as broken open as I was on the sad end, I have felt so much joy in so many more instances and so many more unlikely places than I ever have, so it's like my heart got broken open to both ends of the spectrum."

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August 2022

More than two years after they called it quits, Rodgers reflected on his "great relationship" with Patrick. "She is on her own journey and spirituality is important to her," he said on the "Aubrey Marcus Podcast," noting how his ex inspired him to explore new perspectives. "We both were finding our way, learning about different things [and] practicing meditation techniques."