Aaron Rodgers has great chemistry with his receivers. He's able to take relatively unknown wideouts like Geronimo Allison and Jeff Janis and make them look great.
Rodgers' chemistry and relationship with his family, however, remains "complicated," according to Rodgers' father, Ed.
A wide-ranging story published Sunday in the New York Times details how the Green Bay Packers star quarterback's rise to fame has left his relationship with his family strained. At the same time, Rodgers remains close to some in his hometown of Chico, Calif.
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Nothing apparently has changed since last year, when Rodgers' younger brother, Jordan, appeared as a contestant on the reality TV show “The Bachelorette.” He told the show’s star, JoJo Fletcher, the quarterback and family weren't on speaking terms.
In November, Bleacher Report ran a story claiming Rodgers had not talked to his family since December 2014, and that immediate family members did not even have his cell phone number. Presents the family mailed to Rodgers for Christmas in 2014 were mailed back a couple of months later. Ed and his wife Darla do not attend his son's games anymore.
Ed Rodgers told the Times that, “Fame can change things."
When asked about his family ties Thursday at the Packers' practice facility, the quarterback told reporters, "I just don't think it's appropriate talking about family stuff publicly."
While the family ties are strained, Rodgers remains in touch with others in his hometown. He still talks with Craig Rigsbee, the athletic director at nearby Butte Community College, where Rodgers played one season before transferring to Cal. And he helped pay for the football team at his old school, Pleasant Valley High, to travel to the state championship game last year. He even sent along an inspirational video the team's coach played for the team.
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"It’s like the old Aaron, really," Ed Rodgers told the Times.
The father does not know if the relationship will improve.
"It’s complicated," he said. "We’re all hoping for the best."