Indianapolis, Indiana – Pat McAfee, host of an ESPN show, has announced that Aaron Rodgers, the Green Bay Packers quarterback, will no longer be appearing as a guest on his program for the rest of the NFL season. McAfee made this declaration on his show, following the backlash he received for allowing Rodgers to deliver conspiracy theories during his previous appearances. McAfee stated, “So ‘Aaron Rodgers Tuesday,’ season four, is done.”
Recent behavior, rather than the conclusion of the regular NFL season, led to the decision to end Rodgers’ weekly appearances. While no official comment was provided by ESPN, a spokesperson for the network declined to comment. It is worth noting that Rodgers had appeared on McAfee’s program as late as March during the previous two NFL seasons.
Rodgers sparked controversy when he falsely suggested a link between fellow Disney star Jimmy Kimmel and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Rodgers’ remarks raised concerns not only because they were unfounded and filled with innuendo, but also because they were made on ESPN, which is owned by Disney, as is ABC, Kimmel’s network. In response, Kimmel fired back, stating that Rodgers’ “reckless words” put his family in danger and threatened legal action if Rodgers continued.
While McAfee quickly apologized for his role in the matter, Rodgers did not. During his regular appearance on McAfee’s show, Rodgers doubled down on his comments, delivering a monologue filled with medical misinformation, attacks on the news media, and even targeting an ESPN executive by name.
Rodgers’ promotion of anti-vaccine rhetoric has raised questions about potential intervention by Disney’s chief executive, Bob Iger. Reputable media organizations typically do not allow guests to spread unchecked medical misinformation.
McAfee, who has a close relationship with Rodgers, expressed relief that the controversy surrounding Rodgers’ appearances would come to an end. McAfee stated, “We’ve given a lot of people who have been waiting for us to fail a lot of ammo, and things to attack us for over the last week.” However, he did not rule out the possibility of having Rodgers back on the show in the future.
In summary, Aaron Rodgers will no longer be a guest on Pat McAfee’s ESPN show for the remainder of the NFL season due to his recent behavior. Rodgers’ false statements and promotion of dangerous conspiracy theories, as well as his disregard for medical facts, have received significant backlash. McAfee has expressed relief that the controversy is over but has left open the possibility of Rodgers returning to the show in the future.