Aaron Rodgers played just four snaps in the NFL during the 2023 season, yet with the playoffs approaching in just a few days, the former Green Bay Packers QB is one of the hottest topics in the league.
Somehow, someway, Rodgers always finds himself leading the headlines, though the New York Jets hopeful savior claims it’s deliberate attempts from media who don’t agree with him politically or opposed his stance on the COVID vaccine trying to get him “cancelled.”
The latest — and one of the biggest controversies involving Aaron Rodgers — began roughly two weeks ago, when the former NFL MVP said comic and late night TV host Jimmy Kimmel should be worried when the Jeffrey Epstein list comes out.
Rodgers alluded to the fact that he will be popping champagne when it does.
Those comments — which were said on the Pat McAfee show which is under the DIsney umbrella of ESPN just as Kimmel is with ABC — started an intense feud between the two, with fans, media members, commentators and regular people hopping on social media to take one side or the other.
Kimmel took to X shortly after the comments from the Jets QB, threatening legal action while saying he, his wife and his family had been receiving death threats because Rodgers “called him a pedophile” as he further explained in a 7-minute long monologue to open his show Monday night.
The longtime comic and television host made it abundantly clear he never met Jeffrey Epstein, flew on his plane or went to his private island and stated there’s no way his name would be on any factual list.
He then took multiple jabs at Rodgers, making fun of him for attending but not graduating community college, insulting his intelligence and saying “he did the impossible by making the Jets worse,” alluding he had control over his injury and planned for it to happen.
Rodgers jointed the McAfee show again on Tuesday and clarified he never called Kimmel a pedophile, but simply said he and others should be worried when the list comes out because of Kimmel’s multiple attempts to make fun of Rodgers in the past, particularly when he would mention the Epstein list/.
Ultimately, it was announced on Tuesday Rodgers would no longer be joining the McAfee show for the remainder of the season, but it’s hard not to see him back next year as the ratings from his appearances were massive.
ESPN Insider Dan Graziano Shreds former Packers QB Aaron Rodgers: ‘He’s Obviously A Liar And Narcissistic Con-Artist
Most major sports media have stayed out of the Rodgers vs. Kimmel debate. Yesterday, Kimmel’s good friend Howard Stern made a point during his show to defend the comic and bash Rodgers, saying accusing someone of being a pedophile with no proof is equivalent to saying they have HIV or sex with animals.
Again. Rodgers was adamant on Tuesday he never called Kimmel a pedophile and noted it would be incredibly “f***ed up,”to do so.
But on Wednesday, one of the more respected NFL Insiders in the sports media business spoke up about the former Packers star.
Dan Graziano was named a National NFL Insider for ESPN in July 2016. He contributes to Get Up, NFL Live, SportsCenter, ESPN Radio and ESPN.com. During the NFL season, he also provides live reports from stadiums around the league on Sunday NFL Countdown and Fantasy Football Now.
Graziano joined ESPN in 2011 as an NFC East blogger covering the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Football Team. Two years later, ESPN established its 32-member NFL Nation Network and tabbed Graziano as the Giants reporter. In addition to writing for ESPN.com, he also appeared on NFL Insiders, the one-hour weekday pro football-themed show.
Prior to his career at ESPN, Graziano covered football and baseball for AOL Fanhouse. He also served as a national baseball writer for The Star Ledger of Newark, N.J. and the New York Yankees beat writer for the Star-Ledger.
But in a surprising move considering most NFL Insiders try to remain neutral in these scenarios and report news objectively, it was clear Graziano had just about enough of Aaron Rodgers, calling him out on the Unsportsmanlike ESPN radio show on Wednesday.
“Just in terms of around the league I think Aaron’s sort of living down to his reputation in a lot of ways as an attention hungry, you know, self absorbed individual,” Graziano said. “You hear a lot of things about how he’s been in the Jets building since he got there and they’re positive. You know, con-artists can be very convincing. I think if he’s got the Jets fooled about who he is, then that’s too bad for them and eventually they’ll pay the price for it. But he’s obviously a liar and a narcissistic con-artist who is bad for everything he touches and I think ultimately the Jets will pay the price.”
It’s clear Dan Graziano isn’t a fan of Aaron Rodgers and believes he his a con-artist who will ultimately ruin the New York Jets. As the Packers prepare for a massive playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys following a drama-free season, people will now be checking social media constantly to see if their former QB responds to the ESPN Insider.
