In a shocking turn of events, New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers appeared on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” one day after host Pat McAfee said Rodgers would not make his weekly appearances for the rest of the NFL season.
Rodgers joined Thursday’s episode to discuss the New England Patriots parting ways with coach Bill Belichick, which the team announced earlier in the day. Rodgers also brought up Alabama coach Nick Saban’s retirement announcement from Wednesday.
“It’s too bad, you know. Those are two iconic coaches,” Rodgers said. “When you’re talking about people who actually made a difference in the game … Bill Belichick and Nick Saban were those guys. Bill did things his own way and had a ton of success with it. People tried to copy it and couldn’t do it.”
Rodgers shared his favorite interactions with Belichick after playing the Patriots in 2018 and 2022 with the Green Bay Packers.
“Both times he waited to make sure that he saw me after the game,” Rodgers said. “I just thought that was one of the classiest things ever, and I have so much respect for him to do that.”
Rodgers said he was starting his NFL offseason “out here in the woods” and joked there’s “no darkness here. There’s a lot of light,” referencing his darkness retreat from last offseason.
After Rodgers’ brief interview ended, McAfee, his co-host A.J. Hawk and other members of the show joked about how Rodgers isn’t supposed to be on the show. McAfee explained that Rodgers’ weekly appearances on Tuesdays ended because the quarterback is enjoying his offseason, but he reached out to Rodgers on Thursday after news of Belichick’s Patriots departure broke.
“Yesterday, I’m just getting absolutely crushed. I’m like how do I explain to all these humans that Aaron Rodgers has an offseason too?” McAfee said. “And this is how it’s always gone with Aaron Rodgers Tuesdays when his football is over.”
McAfee announced Wednesday that Rodgers would not be a weekly guest for the rest of the season, one week after Rodgers came under scrutiny over recent comments he made about late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.
Rodgers suggested last week that Kimmel’s name would appear on documents linking him to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Kimmel threatened to sue as a result and ESPN has since called Rodgers’ words “dumb and factually inaccurate.” On Tuesday, Rodgers disputed the notion that he accused Kimmel of being a pedophile.
McAfee said Wednesday he “would love” to move on from the situation.
“Aaron Rodgers is a Hall of Famer. He’s a four-time MVP. He’s a massive piece of the NFL story whenever you go back and tell it. He will be a huge part of it,” McAfee said. “We are very lucky to get a chance to chat with him and learn from him. Some of his thoughts and opinions do piss off a lot of people. I’m pumped that that is no longer every single Wednesday of my life, which it has been for the last few weeks.
“On Friday I obviously threw us into the fire as well. I forever stand by that. Everything else, though, just can’t do that and not what we want to be known for.”
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(Photo: Sarah Stier / Getty Images)
