Aaron Rodgers, the superstar quarterback for the New York Jets, sparked controversy earlier this year with a jest directed at late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, which nearly led to legal action against him.
During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers humorously suggested a connection between Kimmel and Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier accused of human trafficking.
Kimmel took offense to Rodgers’ remarks, using his platform on his show and social media to address the situation.
Rodgers’ comments drew criticism from ESPN, prompting the network to issue a statement condemning his statements.
Now, nearly a month later, Rodgers clarifies that his intention was never to imply that Kimmel was involved in any wrongdoing.
“He had gone on his show and called me a tinfoil-hat-wearing doofus. I thought he had said that I was an idiot for even thinking that there’s a list out there.”
When questioned by Joe Rogan about whether he was insinuating that Kimmel was on any list related to Epstein, Rodgers vehemently denied it, stating “No!”
“Nobody watched the clip. That’s why. They just saw a headline and ‘oh it’s the anti-vax guy again, let’s hammer him.'”
Rodgers mentioned that he was invited onto Kimmel’s show last year but expressed a preference for a private conversation with the host before considering another appearance on air.
Up next for Aaron Rodgers will be a big season for the New York Jets in 2024. He will come back from a torn Achilles and all eyes will be watching to see if he can bounce back to his previous MVP form on the field.
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