Aaron Rodgers re-establishes contact with estranged brother after years
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has started to build the bridge that was previously thought to be burnt when it came to his family, particularly his 33-year-old brother Jordan, who played quarterback at Vanderbilt and is a college football color commentator for ESPN.
According to an insider who spoke to People.com, Aaron and his brother have started "talking a little bit," but there is still a long way to go for the pair and the rest of the family.
The insider also stated that the brothers have differing views on certain subjects, but they know they are family.
"They're just very different people with different outlooks," the insider said. "But they're family and they know that. It's very hard for Aaron, who feels like his circle is very small, and it's not filled with the people who should be in his corner," the source finished.
A second insider from the family spoke to People and stated that, while Rodgers and his family are still estranged, the Packers quarterback loves his family, and he would be the first one there, in case of an emergency.
"The fact that he doesn't talk to them doesn't mean that he hates them. They just have a very problematic relationship that, sometimes, can be toxic. For the good of everyone, there's some distance there," the insider said. "If they needed him, if anything went wrong or if there were an emergency, he'd be the first one to help them."
What did the public learn about Aaron Rodgers' estrangement from his family?
While it had been going on for several years, Aaron Rodgers' estrangement from his family was not publicly discussed until 2016. This was the year Jordan was on the reality TV show The Bachelorette, where he competed for and won JoJo Fletcher's heart. When Jordan took JoJo home to meet his family, Aaron was not there to greet her. According to the New York Post, Jordan would go on to say this about his brother's absence:
"I miss my brother a lot,” Jordan Rodgers said on the show. “Especially in moments like this because my family means so much.”
“I have a great relationship with my brother Luke. Me and Aaron really don’t have much of a relationship,” Jordan explained. “It’s just kind of the way he’s chosen to do life, and I chose to stay close with my family, my parents and my brother."
Jordan also stated the following regarding his relationship with Aaron:
“It’s not ideal, and I love him. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be in his shoes and have the pressure he has and the demands from people he has. Don’t have hard feelings against him. It’s just how things go right now.”
While there is still a large divide between the Packers quarterback and his family, there are strides being made to become a closer family, and while it may take some time to get where they want to be, it is great that all parties involved are trying.