NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers and his father, Ed, had a tearful reconciliation at a Lake Tahoe golf tournament last year following years of estrangement.
- Aug 9, 2024
AceShowbiz - NFL star Aaron Rodgers shared an unexpected and moving encounter with his father, Ed Rodgers, at the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe last summer after nearly a decade-long estrangement.
The reunion is detailed in the upcoming biography "Out of the Darkness: The Mystery of Aaron Rodgers," where author Ian O'Connor reveals the nuanced relationship between the quarterback and his family.
Aaron Rodgers, who spent 18 seasons with the Green Bay Packers before joining the New York Jets in 2023, has had minimal contact with his parents and siblings since 2014.
Ed Rodgers, a chiropractor and former college football offensive lineman, took it upon himself to secure a ticket to the tournament, hoping for a chance to reconnect with his son. Aaron spotted Ed in the crowd midway through his Saturday round and faced an emotional decision.
"I could do a lot of things," Aaron recalls in the book. "But I just thought, 'What's best in this moment, and what kind of gift could I give him?' Because I do love him. I don't have animosity toward him, even with all the stuff that's been said and done."
The moment culminated in an emotional embrace as Aaron approached and greeted his father with, "Hi Pops." Both men exchanged "I love you," leaving Ed in tears as Aaron returned to complete his round. Ed later described the experience as "amazing," a dream he had eagerly anticipated for years.
Though this encounter did not immediately mend the fractured relationship, it represented a significant step toward potential reconciliation. Aaron later reflected on the encounter, telling his longtime friend and caddie, Jordan Russell, "I think that was what needed to happen."
The heartfelt reunion did pave the way for Ed and his wife Darla to attend Aaron's Jets debut on September 11, 2023, a game that ended abruptly with Aaron's season-ending Achilles injury.
Despite their continued estrangement, Aaron remains open to reconciliation. "It's just timing, just timing," he said in the book. "Every time I think it's getting closer some weird things happen. But I would like a relationship with my dad for sure."
"Out of the Darkness: The Mystery of Aaron Rodgers" becomes available on August 20, offering deeper insights into both the celebrated quarterback's career and his complicated family dynamics.
