Aaron Rodgers' brother likens Mike McCarthy to 'ex-partner' after Danica Patrick drama

Jeremy GoldsteinFri, September 25, 2026 at 1:32 PM UTC

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Aaron Rodgers is off to a tough start to the 2026 NFL season -Credit:Getty Images

ESPN quietly hired Jordan Rodgers, the brother of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, as a college football analyst in 2016. Following a rash of layoffs earlier in 2026, he was elevated from college coverage only to a national all-sports role on ESPN morning shows.

Speaking on Wednesday's episode of First Take, the younger Rodgers brother defended his older brother's slow start to the 2026 season. He equated Aaron Rodgers' relationship with new Steelers coach Mike McCarthy to an "ex you ended up getting back together with after a long time."

Of course, Aaron Rodgers has found himself in headlines recently for some old relationship drama, including with his old NASCAR flame, Danica Patrick, and actress Shailene Woodley.

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Jordan Rodgers comments

The Steelers are 1-1, having beaten the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1 on the strength of TJ Watt and their defense. In Week 2, Aaron Rodgers was constantly under pressure by the New England Patriots, taking a few massive hits in the process.

“I think if you truly watched Week 1, this was a team that was a few drops and a few drops away from being absolutely explosive like we haven’t seen out of the Steelers in a really long time,” Jordan said, defending his brother.

“Rodgers was actually very accurate down the field. The throws that were not completed because of either a non-call or a drop down the field were on the money. Not trying to be a homer.”

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Jordan Rodgers, who has an on-off relationship with his older brother, made the McCarthy comparison to an ex. The current Pittsburgh coach was Aaron Rodgers's boss with the Green Bay Packers from 2006 to 2018.

“The other aspect that I think is still a feeling out process, Rodgers and McCarthy are like that ex you ended up getting back together with after a long time,” Jordan continued. “You’re like, ‘Things are better. We’re different people. We’re still trying to figure out those quirks we had when we were in a relationship.’

“So I think they’re still trying to figure out who they want to be based on what they both are capable of in this second iteration of their relationship. I think that’s going to take time.”

Jordan Rodgers, a former college and NFL practice squad QB, joined ESPN in 2016Aaron Rodgers on Danica Patrick

Aaron Rodgers and Danica Patrick dated from 2018 to 2020, coinciding with both the end of Patrick's professional driving career and the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking on the Not Just Football podcast alongside his Steelers teammate Cameron Heyward, Rodgers spoke about the challenges of that relationship. “I dated Danica, and she had just retired,” he explained. “She was depressed and not fun to be around. But I didn’t leave her because I was trying to be there and be a good partner.

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“Then it was going a certain direction, obviously, there was no intimacy, there was nothing. And I’m buying a house in Malibu, and she goes, ‘Do you want to buy it together?’ and I said no.

"She said, ‘Well, you know what that means then.’ I said, ‘Yeah, that’s the way things are going.’ She said, ‘Well, let’s get counseling.’”

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”