In light of Aaron Rodgers comments about The Bachelorette on his new Netflix docuseries, allow Us to present a quick Bachelor Nation history lesson (or refresh).
The year was 2016, and JoJo Fletcher was handing out roses after Ben Higgins broke her heart by picking Lauren Bushnell despite telling both of his final two that he loved them. JoJo, then 25, quickly bounced back and fell hard for one of her season 12 contestants with a famous last name — Jordan Rodgers.
While the season featured some men that would go on to be big names in Bachelor Nation like Wells Adams, Evan Bass and bad boy Chad Johnson, the fighting for JoJo’s heart was less of a competition and more of a debate on whether Jordan, then 27, was there for “the right reasons.” Stories popped up all over the internet questioning if Jordan was just looking for fame (and a job as a football broadcaster) and his ex-girlfriend accused him of being a cheater, which he denied repeatedly. (It feels important to note now that JoJo and Jordan ended up being one of the rare Bachelorette success stories, tying the knot in 2022 after taking the time to get to know each other post-show. And he did land a gig as an SEC commentator, which ended up being a natural fit!)
It’s safe to say there was plenty of chatter around Jordan — and concerns for America’s sweetheart JoJo as she fell head over heels for him — but the biggest story line at the time was the revelation that Aaron was estranged from parents Ed and Darla and brothers Jordan and Luke. Jordan’s hometown date really put a spotlight on the drama.
“He comes from such an amazing family with so much love and so much character, but sitting down at that table, there’s two empty seats and I know they probably wish Aaron was sitting at one of them,” JoJo told the ABC cameras. “It’s hard because, like, that’s Jordan’s brother. That’s Luke’s brother. That’s Ed and Darla’s son. I have no idea nor could I even imagine why Aaron wouldn’t want to be a part of their lives.”
JoJo subsequently sat down with Luke, the eldest Rodgers son, and told him that she thinks Jordan “really misses” Aaron but doesn’t like to talk about it.
“It’s something we don’t like to talk about a whole lot,” Luke replied. “It pains both of us, like, not to have that relationship. We miss our brother. I trust that God brings things full circle and I also wish that everything would get back to us being a family. I’m impressed Jordan shared those things with you because I don’t think he would’ve if he didn’t care.”
After the dinner, Jordan reflected on Aaron’s absence in a confessional.
“It would’ve been nice to share JoJo with not only my parents and my brother Luke, but, you know, Aaron as well,” Jordan said. “I miss my brother a lot especially in moments like this because my family means so much. JoJo’s everything to me right now and they know that.”
At the time, Aaron told reporters that he wasn’t watching the show but wished his brother “luck in the competition,” which was taken as a major dig at JoJo and Jordan’s love story. Aaron Rodgers: Enigma marked the first time that the NFL quarterback spoke about the show and hometown date in depth. After revealing that he and Jordan started having issues in high school (seemingly related to football as Jordan tried to follow in his brother’s footsteps), Aaron went off.
“I thought the best way to do it was just don’t talk about it publicly. And what do they do? They go on a bulls— show and leave two empty chairs,” Aaron told Netflix cameras. “They all agreed this was a good thing to do, to leave two empty chairs at a stupid dating show that my brother just went on to get famous — his words, not mine. That he ended up winning, But a dinner that was during the season, I was never asked to go to. Not that I would’ve gone.”
Jordan has yet to respond to Aaron’s diss, and based on previous actions, it’s unlikely he will. Despite the dig, Aaron did claim that the door on a reconciliation wasn’t closed.
“People ask me, ‘Is there hope for reconciliation?’ I say, ‘Yeah of course. Of course,’” Aaron said.“I don’t want them to fail, to struggle, to have any strife or issues. I don’t wish any ill will on them at all. It’s more like this — we’re just different steps on a timeline of our own journeys.”
