Derek Jeter opens up about Alex Rodriguez's controversial 2001 interview: "We were 20-something years old. Now, it’s, ‘I don’t care’"

New York Yankees legend Derek Jeter recently got candid in an interview with Drink the Champs. He discussed his career and the various relationships he has had with other players. On the show hosted by N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN, the four-time World Series champion also addressed his much-talked-about relationship with former teammate Alex Rodriguez.

Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez were close in the early 1990s. They met each other in a minor league match and, after their MLB debuts, established themselves as the best players in the league. They remained friends until Rodriguez's infamous Esquire interview in 2001 soured their relationship.

In the interview, Rodriguez said Jeter "never had to lead." He also made a few other snarky remarks about the Yankees legend.

The backdrop of the interview was interesting as the two players were the highest-paid athletes in the league. In late 2000, Rodriguez signed a whopping 10-year, $252 million contract with the Texas Rangers, whereas Jeter renewed his contract with the Yankees for $189 million.

During the "Drink Champs" interview, Derek Jeter was asked about how much Rodriguez's comments in 2001 affected their relationship. He said that the media made a big deal about it, but agreed that both of them acted like "20-something year olds." He added that they had now buried the hatchet.

"Everyone made such a big deal out of our relationship because of things that were said in the media. This was 20 years ago pretty much. That’s why, in the documentary, I wanted people to know how I felt at the time. A lot of things in life have happened since then. It’s over.

"I don’t feel that way anymore....I’m like, ‘Where’s this coming from?’ But once again, we were 20-something years old. Now, it’s ‘I don’t care.’ I just did his show in New York recently,” Derek Jeter said.

Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez became teammates in 2004

The pair became teammates in 2004 at the Yankees and went through further ups and downs. In 2009, they won a World Series together when the Yankees defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in six games. Both Jeter and Rodriguez retired in 2016, leaving a long-lasting legacy.

Alex Rodriguez also starred in "The Captain," a docuseries based on Jeter's life and his leadership of the New York Yankees.