Aaron Rodgers is likely going to be back on the ESPN airwaves weekly this upcoming season courtesy of “The Pat McAfee Show.”
During a media day at ESPN’s Bristol, Connecticut campus, McAfee indicated that Rodgers was going to return for a fifth season to do a weekly appearance on the popular sports talk show, which had led to plenty of headlines over the Jets QB’s comments on the program.
“There’s a good chance that you probably see Aaron on Tuesdays again,” McAfee said, according to Front Office Sports’ Colin Salao, during a Q&A that later turned a bit heated.
Rodgers has used the platform in the past to discuss his views on COVID-19 and other controversial topics.
This past NFL season, he ended up in a verbal sparring match with ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel after suggesting the ABC late-night host could be on a list of Jeffrey Epstein associates.
During Wednesday’s press junket, McAfee acknowledged that he’s heard the criticisms over the segment that he “doesn’t push back,” but argued that Rodgers’ future place on the “Mount Rushmore of NFL quarterbacks” makes the segment worthwhile.
McAfee has defended the segment in the past, pointing to the idea that the footage will be used someday in “every Aaron Rodgers documentary 10 or 15 years from now,” which he did so again on Wednesday, according to Deadline.
“I don’t know if that’s journalism or not, in your guys’ eyes, but I think it’s certainly provided something useful for sports fans,” McAfee said.
He also told the assembled group of reporters that there were “a lot of people asking for it to not happen anymore.”
It seems despite that, Rodgers will continue to have a regular spot on the show.
Rodgers’ regular appearances last season came while he was recovering from the season-ending Achilles injury he suffered during the opening drive of the Jets’ Week 1 game against the Bills.