Aaron Rodgers is never one to shy away from speaking his mind. Even though it may ruffle some feathers. And that sometimes may get some other people in trouble. He’s a frequent guest at the Pat McAfee Show. In fact, the two are good friends. And who can forget that during the peak weeks of Rodgers’ recovery, the show was our primary source of updates on him.

But having the 4x NFL MVP winner on your show also means that it will generate some controversy. And in a recent episode of ALL THE SMOKE, McAfee addressed why it happens.

Pat McAfee defends Aaron Rodgers and his journalism

He started the conversation by saying that many people thought that his show would be kicked off ESPN. However, that did not happen. But he did bring up the Aaron Rodgers vaccination controversy that generated a lot of hate for him and Rodgers both. According to him, he was getting “swore at in 30 different languages”. He said that one comment said that “I was the worst human on earth.” What seemed to attract all of this was the fact that Rodgers had said on his show that he “wasn’t vaccinated”.

McAfee also defended his style of journalism and said it was real journalism as well. It’s just that his format is different. “We’re in a conversation. We have no idea where we’re headed. We don’t have scheduled questions. I don’t prep anybody when they’re coming on.”

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And of course, the price of having an unscripted show is that sometimes things get out of hand.

Rodgers’ controversies on the show

Aaron Rodgers stirred up controversy when he made misleading statements about his COVID-19 vaccination status during an interview. He suggested that he was immunized, but it later emerged that he hadn’t actually received the vaccine. This sparked concerns about honesty, the importance of clear public health communication, and the role of public figures in spreading accurate information about COVID-19 and vaccinations.

Then more recently, during an appearance on the show, Rodgers made controversial comments suggesting a link between Jimmy Kimmel and Jeffrey Epstein. This led to a backlash from Kimmel and the public. Rodgers’ remarks prompted Kimmel to threaten legal action and demand an apology, which Rodgers did not provide. Instead, he defended his comments, but he did try to make peace later on.

The two have decided to take a break to let the situation cool down. Maybe we’ll have to wait till the April Draft to see Rodgers on the show again.