Aaron Rodgers is one of the most successful quarterbacks in the NFL. He is currently playing for the New York Jets but started his career after being selected in the first round of the 2005 NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers. In fact, he spent 18 seasons with them, and during that time he showed us that he is one of the most talented quarterbacks of all time.
He has won all the prestigious awards in the NFL from the Super Bowl trophy to the Super Bowl MVP and NFT’s MVP four times.
So, what do you do when you win all the things you’ve dreamed about? Well, you start a new passion. This is where horse racing comes in as we can see Aaron Rodgers attending all the big events like the Kentucky Derby. He is a minority ownership stake in the Milwaukee Bucks (NBA) making him the first active football player to own an ownership stake in an NBA franchise.
But there are talks that he is getting into horse racing, which shouldn’t be surprising. After all, he is a big fan of the sport, has the money and horse racing can be a very lucrative business.
So, let’s explore Aaron Rodgers’s passion for horses and see if we going to see a new name in the Kentucky Derby.
Aaron Rodgers isn’t new to horse racing but has always been a spectator. He has made a tradition of attending the Kentucky Derby, but this is quite common in the world of NFL. We’ve also seen other big names attending the derby like Tom Brady, and since this is an event where you’ll most likely rub elbows with other athletes and celebrities, it is quite attractive for high-net-worth individuals.
Last year, he apparently spent some time with Kentucky’s U.S. Senator Rand Paul at Churchill Downs, and who knows, maybe this is the person who convinced him to become a racehorse owner.
But with Rodgers the situation was different. Most athletes attend the Kentucky Derby just for clout or networking, but Rodgers can also be seen at other events like the Breeders’ Cup.
Horse racing brings some of the most successful and competitive individuals across various industries, which makes it a natural fit for Rodgers, especially for a man who thrives in high-stakes environments.
But Rodgers’s interest in horse racing went beyond being a spectator. He expressed interest in the industry after learning a thing or two from other trainers and racehorse owners.
Now, when it comes to racehorse ownership, Rodgers is still reserved, but there are rumors that this will change very soon.
He attended the 2024 Kentucky Derby and was interviewed by NBC. He hilariously shared that if he ever owned a horse, he would name his horse after his former Packers teammate, Corey Linsley, “because that boy’s got stamina”.
NBC also asked him if he would enter the horse racing industry, and what would his career of choice be – an owner, jockey, or trainer, to which the 40-year-old replied “Owner. For sure”. But that kind of makes sense since jockey is out of the question due to the weight limit, and he probably doesn’t know much about training horses.
The 151 Kentucky Derby qualifying races are already on the go as things started brewing for this year’s event. I think that Aaron Rodgers will definitely be attending the 2025 Kentucky Derby.
Rodgers’ passion for horse racing ties directly into his competitive nature. The same strategic mindset that has helped him dominate NFL defenses applies to horse racing—analyzing statistics, evaluating past performances, and predicting outcomes. Whether it’s reading defenses on the field or assessing race conditions at Churchill Downs, Rodgers enjoys the challenge that both sports provide.
While some athletes use the Derby purely as a social outing, Rodgers approaches it with a genuine curiosity about the sport. He has been seen discussing racing with seasoned owners and trainers, soaking in knowledge about what it takes to develop a champion horse.
Many fans wonder if Rodgers will take his love for horse racing to the next level. With his career winding down—at least in football terms—owning racehorses could be the perfect transition into another competitive arena. Horse racing offers a similar thrill to football: the rush of victory, the heartbreak of close losses, and the strategy needed to stay ahead of the competition.
If Rodgers were to venture into ownership, he could follow in the footsteps of other athlete-owners like Michael Jordan and Erik Johnson, who have successfully entered the thoroughbred industry. Given his history of attending races and engaging with the community, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Rodgers eventually standing in the winner’s circle.
Aaron Rodgers ticks all the checkmarks for becoming a professional racehorse owner. He has the money, he is obviously interested in the sport, and he has a lot of connections in the industry.
On top of that, he has been on a wild streak investing in other sports recently, so it wouldn’t surprise us if we see Rodgers buy a racehorse in the future.