Aaron Rodgers to stop appearing on “The Pat McAfee Show” amid controversy
In a surprising turn of events, Aaron Rodgers will no longer be a weekly guest on “The Pat McAfee Show” for the remainder of the NFL season. This decision comes after the New York Jets quarterback came under fire for comments he made about late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.
Last week, Rodgers suggested that Kimmel’s name would appear on documents linking him to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Kimmel was quick to threaten legal action, and ESPN labeled Rodgers’ words as “dumb and factually inaccurate.” Rodgers, however, disputed the notion that he had accused Kimmel of being a pedophile.
Speaking about the decision, McAfee stated, “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. 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.”
The decision was also influenced by the need to calm down the situation, as McAfee noted, “The way it ended, it got real loud, real loud. I’m happy that is not going to be my mentions going forward, which is great news.”
It’s been a very loud couple of weeks for ESPN and McAfee, including his very public comments of Norby Williamson, a long time ESPN executive. The good news here for all parties is that the 24/7 content machine will soon be onto other stories. If Rodgers returns for a fifth season on the show, obviously the news cycle begins again. But for now, McAfee is expected to slowly dial back from the center of sports content universe.
The decision comes as a disappointment for many fans of “The Pat McAfee Show” but is seen as a necessary move to avoid further controversy. As the NFL season continues, it remains to be seen how this will impact Rodgers and his standing in the public eye.
By: Richard Deitsch, media reporter