Aaron Rodgers is facing a fourth and long situation, but this time it’s not on the gridiron. The Jets’ quarterback is under fire from NBC Sports insider Mike Florio, who’s calling an audible on Rodgers’ off-field playbook.

In a recent appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, Florio threw down the gauntlet, challenging Rodgers to step out of his comfort zone for a “real debate.” The NFL analyst didn’t mince words, criticizing Rodgers for his tendency to appear on what he called “safe space podcasts” where his controversial views go unchallenged.

“He goes on all these safe space podcasts and says all this crazy stuff, and the hosts never say, ‘Dude, you’ve got to maybe try decaf or read a different book,'” Florio said. It’s a far cry from the no-nonsense approach Rodgers preached back in January when he declared that “anything that doesn’t have anything to do with winning needs to be assessed.”

“I think that Aaron Rogers and I have some things in common,” Florio mused. “I’d like to think I could maybe get through to him and we can have a real debate.” Florio’s comments come in the wake of Rodgers’ unexcused absence from the Jets‘ mandatory minicamp.

The four-time MVP’s decision to skip town raised many flags and has ignited debate all across the NFL realm, especially given his previous statements about eliminating distractions and getting the “BS out of the building.”

The situation has turned into a he-said, he-said game of football telephone. Rodgers remarked last month that his off-field activities don’t count as distractions, but Florio argues that the quarterback’s actions contradict the strong statement. The analyst particularly targeted Rodgers’ off-season podcast appearances and the cans of worms that surround the veteran QB.

Aaron Rodgers’ podcast playbook might not be the page the Jets need

Florio’s critique goes beyond Rodgers’ minicamp no-show. He took aim at the QB’s podcast appearances, particularly on shows like The Joe Rogan Experience, The Tucker Carlson Show, and Look Into It with Eddie Bravo. These platforms, Florio argues, act more like yes-men than tough interviewers when it comes to Rodgers’ controversial views on topics ranging from COVID-19 vaccines to conspiracy theories.

In February, Rodgers appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast, where he discussed his stance on COVID-19 treatments, including the use of ivermectin. This appearance followed his infamous “immunized” statement and subsequent positive COVID test in 2021, which sparked a media frenzy.

The Jets, meanwhile, are trying to navigate this media blitz. Head coach Robert Saleh has downplayed the absence situation, insisting that he and Rodgers are “on the exact same page.” Saleh stated to pressers last week, “Aaron and I are on the exact same page. There’s no issue between Aaron or his teammates, for that matter.”

However, Rodgers’ absence has not gone unnoticed. Jets owner Woody Johnson attempted to smooth things over by posting slow-motion footage of Rodgers throwing passes during OTAs on social media, captioning it, “[Rodgers] looked as good as ever this spring.” Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III also came to Rodgers’ defense, comparing the situation to Tom Brady’s absences from Patriots’ OTAs. “Brady missed OTAs for 5 straight years… They have earned the right to take time off,” Griffin tweeted.

The pressure is mounting for the Jets to get their star quarterback back in the huddle. Will Rodgers call an audible and address these criticisms head-on, or will he continue to stick to his game plan? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure – this drama might just go into overtime. The only way to silence them as pointed out by Julian Edelman is to acquire wins in the upcoming season, otherwise, “If they go 1-3, this is going to be such a big distraction for that locker room.”