Aaron Rodgers Reflects on His Breakup From Olivia Munn: Living Out a Relationship in the Public Eye Is Difficult

Pro quarterback subtly addresses his highly publicized relationship with actress

By Samantha Schnurr Aug 31, 2017 4:29 PMTags

When it comes to the glare of fame, Aaron Rodgers doesn't welcome it on his personal life. 

The Green Bay Packers quarterback is notably quiet about his life off of the field, so when news broke of his split from actress Olivia Munn after three years of dating, fans were clamoring for any details about the downfall of one of sports' A-list pairs. 

While a source told E! News they were "just on two different pages in life," don't expect the 33-year-old to go into great detail about his breakup—or really any personal matters. As he made it clear to ESPN the Magazine, the spotlight only makes it more challenging to maintain a relationship. As he explained, fame can cause "increased strain or pressure or stress associated with relationships. Friendships and dating relationships."

"When you are living out a relationship in the public eye, it's definitely...it's difficult," the athlete told the magazine. "It has some extra constraints, because you have other opinions about your relationship, how it affects your work and, you know, just some inappropriate connections."  

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Olivia Munn's Best Looks
AP Photo/Kevin Terrell

Among those "inappropriate connections" were some reports that blamed Munn for any of Rodgers' poor performance on the field while the two were dating. However, it wasn't only his relationship with Munn that was scrutinized. After his younger brother Jordan Rodgers revealed a family rift while competing on the 12th season of The Bachelorette, his family life was thrust into the spotlight and speculation swirled. 

However, much like with anyone he's dating, Aaron won't voluntarily bring his family into the public forefront. 

When asked why doesn't think its appropriate to comment, Aaron replied, "Because a lot of people have family issues."

"I'm not the only one that does," he continued. "It needs to be handled the right way."

Overall, he aims to prevent the two worlds from colliding. 

"I think there should be a separation between your public life and your personal life," he told ESPN. "I've just always felt like there should be a time when you don't have to be on."

 This story will appear in ESPN The Magazine's NFL Preview Issue on newsstands Friday, September 8.