We’ve been treated to all sorts of stories allegedly revealing Olivia Munn’s reactions to her breakup with Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. She’s “in pieces” and feels “played.” Or maybe she is “furious” and “terrified.” Or maybe, just maybe, she really doesn’t give a rat’s ass what Rodgers has been up to since things ended between them.
However, despite all of those stories about Olivia Munn we haven’t heard a peep out of Rodgers. He hasn’t discussed his breakup with Munn publicly at all. Until now, as he revealed some of the reasons why the couple split in a new and very lengthy profile by ESPN the Magazine of the man who drama seems to follow around like a lost puppy.
Here’s what he had to say…
In April, it was reported that the couple had broken up. I ask him what he learned from the experience. “When you are living out a relationship in the public eye, it’s definitely … it’s difficult,” he says, jostling on the sofa and blinking a little, as though I’ve just pointed a flashlight at his face. “It has some extra constraints, because you have other opinions about your relationship, how it affects your work and, you know, just some inappropriate connections.” It seems clear that he’s referring to the fans and pundits who asked whether his famous girlfriend might be hurting his performance, so I say as much. He nods, adding, “They’re such misogynists, right?”
He may have a point with that last comment.
Of course this was all pre-mustache. Now Rodgers HAS to be single because of all the women he’s going to be swimming in because of all it’s gloriousity.
Rodgers also addressed the other overblown public issue he’s been dealing with for awhile now: his family.
Last summer Rodgers found himself in the center of a minor maelstrom when his brother Jordan, who’s now a commentator on ESPN’s SEC Network, discussed their fractured relationship on TV. For fans who had followed the quarterback’s career, the revelation came as a bit of a shock. In years past, his parents had featured prominently in stories about his wholesome upbringing, flanking their son in Arlington. But in January, The New York Times published an interview with his father, Ed, reiterating what Jordan had said. (Jordan and Ed did not respond to requests for interviews.) Afterward, Rodgers told The Times he didn’t think it was appropriate to comment on the story. I ask him whether he still feels that way.
“Yeah, I do.”
Why?
“Because a lot of people have family issues,” he says. “I’m not the only one that does.” He tells me he doesn’t see any upside in discussing those issues in public. “It needs to be handled the right way.”
Pretty hard to argue with those points too.
Check out the rest of the piece over at ESPN.com.