ESPN talk show host, Pat McAfee, has announced that Green Bay Packers quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, will be stepping down as a weekly guest on his show, The Pat McAfee Show.
The announcement comes after a series of controversial interviews and on-air incidents involving Rodgers, leading to speculation that ESPN may have pressured McAfee to make the decision. However, according to McAfee, the move was entirely his own decision and he still maintains creative control over the show.
The controversy began when Rodgers made reckless comments during an interview, suggesting that late-night host Jimmy Kimmel could be on the list of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged clients.
McAfee received backlash for allowing these comments to air, leading to speculation that ESPN may be trying to distance themselves from the quarterback’s remarks. Rodgers denied any intentional linking of Kimmel to Epstein, but the damage had already been done.
Things came to a head last week when McAfee exploded in a fiery on-air rant, accusing an unnamed ESPN executive of deliberately sabotaging his show.
Although he admitted to not having concrete proof of the accusation, McAfee singled out Norby Williamson, a long-time ESPN executive. The network has since defended Williamson, saying that he is invested in ESPN’s success.
While McAfee expressed gratitude for Rodgers’ contributions to the show, he also admitted that the quarterback’s controversial comments have caused a lot of problems.
He noted that Rodgers’ opinions have offended a lot of people and he is relieved that this will no longer be a weekly occurrence on his show.
Despite Rodgers stepping down, it is unclear whether he will return to the show in the future. McAfee did not address the possibility and simply stated that the show would continue without him for the time being. However, he did express a desire to move on from the recent controversies and silence the show’s haters.
Aaron Rodgers’ departure from The Pat McAfee Show comes after a string of controversial comments and incidents that have caused backlash for the show and ESPN.
