Danica Patrick Opened Up About Her Split From Aaron Rodgers: ‘My Heart Got Broken’

Former professional race car driver Danica Patrick is, pardon the pun, back on track after a difficult split. On a recent episode of Running Wild with Bear Grylls, the retired driver and current podcast host and winemaker reflected on the end of her last relationship. Though she didn’t mention her former partner by name, it seems the man in question was Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, whom Patrick dated for two years.

“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 told host Bear Grylls, according to People. “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.”

She also praised her family for being there for her during her breakup, and always, saying, “[My dad is] always super proud of me. My mom too. My sister…I’m really fortunate that I have a family that’s super supportive. You gotta have someone you can fall apart with, you know?” 

Rodgers, who is currently guest-hosting Jeopardy!, recently announced his engagement to Big Little Lies actor Shailene Woodley, something of a surprise as they’d only met around seven months prior. 

But Danica Patrick isn’t jumping into anything quite so quickly. She’s waiting for that perfect fit. Her next partner is “going to be an extremely high-quality person,” Patrick said on a talk show appearance in March, per Yahoo!. “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, bend as much, right?”

Right!