Not long after it was revealed that she had ended things with fellow NASCAR driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr., rumors began to fly that Danica Patrick was dating Green Bay Packers quarterback, Aaron Rodgers.
Danica admitted that those rumors were true in January 2018 – and the two have been spotted publicly many times since.
Danica Patrick confirms she's dating Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers https://t.co/NUSBg36PaN
— TIME (@TIME) January 17, 2018
One point of conflict between Danica’s family and Rodgers is that they are diehard Chicago Bears fans – and come from the Greater Chicago Area. Being sports fans, their team allegiance often runs very deep, so this was something that came up the first time Rodgers met the Patrick family.
While Danica has admitted that she’s going to be cheering for the Green Bay Packers team from now on, her father – T.J. Patrick – isn’t going to be swayed.
“@Sensei_Crystal: @DanicaPatrick hugs her dad after her win. #HappyFathersDayTJ pic.twitter.com/BKt6dJAIZx” -good pic and memory!
— Danica Patrick (@DanicaPatrick) June 16, 2013
The result of him meeting Rodgers for the first time? He “can’t be a Packers fan.”
T.J. had been a Chicago Bears fan for more than 50 years when he first met Rodgers. And speaking with Autoweek, he confessed that when they met – he intended to take him down.
“Actually, the first time we met him I told the kids I was going to wear my Brian Urlacher jersey and tackle him,” T.J. explained, referencing a famous Chicago Bears linebacker.
Apparently, one of the kids (probably Danica) gave Rodgers a heads up on her dad’s plan, so he came prepared.
“I couldn’t find [the jersey],” he continued. “[Rodgers] walked in and asked, ‘Where is your jersey?’ I told him I couldn’t find it. He said, ‘I would respect you a lot more if you had it on.'”
Danica Patrick, Aaron Rodgers along with family and friends prior to the Daytona 500. pic.twitter.com/L4oEdt60Vn
— Jordan Bianchi (@Jordan_Bianchi) February 18, 2018
What do you think of Danica Patrick’s dad and his first encounter with her new boyfriend? Watch the Patrick family discuss Danica’s career below.