While New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers opened up about long-simmering family tensions in a new Netflix docuseries, his younger brother, Jordan Rodgers, and Jordan’s wife, JoJo Fletcher, were busy soaking in the holiday magic of London’s Hyde Park Winter Wonderland.
On Tuesday, as the second episode of Rodgers’ docuseries began streaming, Fletcher shared a cheerful video clip on Instagram that showed the couple savoring mulled cocktails and hot dogs amid the sparkling lights and festive rides of the celebrated holiday fair. The pair, who first met and fell in love during Season 12 of The Bachelorette, appeared carefree and fully immersed in the holiday spirit.
“London in December >>> ?????,” Fletcher captioned her post, offering no direct hint that, half a world away, Aaron Rodgers’ personal revelations had begun making headlines.
In the docuseries, the superstar quarterback delved into his estranged relationship with his family, recalling how matters came to a head during Jordan’s televised courtship of Fletcher in 2016.
Back then, Jordan had made it to the final stages of The Bachelorette, prompting a hometown visit that was filmed at the Rodgers family home in Chico, California. For the cameras, the family arranged two empty chairs at the dinner table—ostensibly for Aaron, who was then a star player for the Green Bay Packers, and his then-girlfriend, actress Olivia Munn.
Their absence was not merely noted but highlighted as a subtle reminder of a rift that had been quietly deepening for years.
“And what do they do?” Aaron said in the series, his frustration evident. “They go on a bulls–t show and leave two empty chairs.” He explained that he was never even asked to attend the dinner, an invitation he would have declined anyway due to the strained family dynamic and his NFL responsibilities at the time.
The quarterback, who has carefully guarded his personal life for much of his career, called the entire televised setup disingenuous.
Fletcher herself had acknowledged the awkwardness during her time on the show. “He comes from such an amazing family with so much love and so much character,” she said in a confessional from that era, “but sitting down at that table, there are two empty seats and I know that they probably wish Aaron was sitting in one of them.”
She went on to express her confusion about the circumstances that led to the quarterback’s absence, wondering aloud why Aaron wouldn’t want to be part of his own family’s moment.
In the end, Jordan accepted Fletcher’s final rose, and the couple announced their engagement in May 2016. Although Aaron did not attend their 2022 wedding, Jordan and Fletcher have continued building a life together, seemingly unfazed by the ongoing Rodgers family saga.
Since his brief foray into professional football, Jordan has carved out a niche as a sports broadcaster, a role that keeps him connected to the game without getting pulled into the familial controversies that Aaron’s superstar status sometimes amplifies.
In the docuseries, Aaron, now 41, offered a rare look at the deeper origins of the rift, tracing his discomfort back through high school, college, and his early NFL years. “It wasn’t like I was super duper close with everybody in the family,” he said. “I was close with my little brother, but in actuality, it goes back to stuff from high school that kind of made me feel distant. Stuff in college, stuff post-college.”
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Though Aaron’s words may sound definitive, he did not rule out the possibility of reconciliation. In fact, he signaled a willingness to mend fences if the right conditions arise. “People ask me, ‘Is there hope for reconciliation?’ I say, ‘Yeah of course. Of course,’” he 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 on different steps on a timeline of our own journeys.”
Meanwhile, Jordan and JoJo’s public silence about Aaron’s remarks may reflect a careful strategy. Over the years, they have largely kept their relationship separate from the family drama that played out so openly on national television.
As they strolled through Hyde Park, sipping cocktails and soaking up London’s holiday warmth, they appeared to be prioritizing their own joy—an act that may speak louder than any direct response ever could.
For now, viewers and fans can only speculate about what might come next. Will Aaron’s candidness inspire family healing, or will it merely reopen old wounds? Time will tell.
But if Jordan and Fletcher’s London adventures are any indication, they’re choosing to focus on building a life that stands apart from the tensions Aaron so candidly revealed, finding comfort in each other and the festive glow of a December night across the pond.
