Aaron Rodgers is looking back on his decision to address his sexuality publicly in 2013. Despite being linked with A-listers like Olivia Munn and Shailene Woodley, the NFL player was often plagued with gay rumors. Although he finally shut down the speculations, the athlete believes he could have handled the sensitive topic with more care.
Rodgers, while promoting his upcoming memoir, Out of the Darkness: The Mystery of Aaron Rodgers, admitted he felt pressured to clear the air. “I think I was upset with the framing [of the rumor] because it was meant to shame the idea of being gay, and I have so many friends that are gay in the community,” he explained. The former Green Bay Packers player said he initially planned to go after the perpetrators of the speculations. However, Jason Wilde, the co-host of his weekly ESPN Milwaukee radio show at the time, discouraged him. Explaining his regret, Rodgers said, per US Weekly:
“I wish I had done the former because that’s how I really felt. I’m like, say anything you want about me, but do you understand these people are using this to shame the idea of being gay? That’s just disrespectful to all my friends who are in the community.”
The 40-year-old added, “So I wished I would have handled it that way, and I don’t blame Jason. We’ve talked it out.”
Aaron Rodgers: ‘I Really Really Like Women’
Rodgers addressed the “crazy rumors that swirl around from time to time” when Wilde put him on the spot during a 2013 episode. “I’m just going to say I’m not gay. I really, really like women. That’s all I can say about that,” he answered. Although the football player wasn’t able to use the moment to be an LGBTQ+ ally, he addressed those who poked around people’s personal lives.
There’s always going to be silly stuff out there in the media, and you can’t worry too much about [it] and I don’t. I think there should be, professional is professional, and personal is personal. And that’s just how I’m going to keep it.”
Rodgers has since kept it that way, barely commenting on his personal life until now.
