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Pat McAfee Hints at Aaron Rodgers' Return to Weekly Show After Ban Over Jimmy Kimmel Controversy
Pat McAfee hints at Aaron Rodgers' return to his ESPN show after a controversial ban due to his comments over Covid and Jimmy Kimmel.
ESPN's Pat McAfee has suggested that NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers may soon be making a comeback to his popular show, following a temporary ban stemming from a controversial incident involving late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.
Speaking at a media event at ESPN's Bristol, Connecticut campus, McAfee hinted at the possibility of Rodgers resuming his weekly appearances on The Pat McAfee Show.
The former NFL punter stated, "There's a good chance that you probably see Aaron on Tuesdays again."
Rodgers' last appearance on the show was on January 9, where he made controversial comments about Kimmel and COVID-19.
The remarks led to a significant backlash, resulting in ESPN temporarily barring Rodgers from his regular spots on McAfee's program.
McAfee acknowledged that there has been opposition to bringing Rodgers back, saying, "There were a lot of people asking for it to not happen anymore."
However, he defended the segment, stating its potential historical significance:
"Every Aaron Rodgers documentary 10 or 15 years from now" will likely feature footage from these appearances.
The host has previously disclosed that Rodgers' appearances come with a substantial price tag, reportedly costing "millions" and suggesting that the quarterback is worth even more.
"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 explained, defending the value of Rodgers' contributions to the show.
McAfee has faced criticism for providing a platform for Rodgers' sometimes controversial views.
During the media event, he pushed back against suggestions that hosting Rodgers led to spreading misinformation.
"I understand that you may have a lot of reasons to potentially hate me," McAfee said, addressing an ABC reporter.
"I think they're misguided. I would appreciate if you would give me and my guys a chance. I think we're helping out sports media as a whole in the future."
The potential return of Rodgers to McAfee's show underscores the complex relationship between controversial figures, media platforms, and audience engagement.
ESPN's willingness to consider bringing Rodgers back suggests that they view McAfee as a premier talent and are willing to navigate the potential backlash to maintain the show's popularity.
McAfee and Rodgers have demonstrated exceptional chemistry in their joint segments, with Rodgers using the platform to share significant moments in his career, including his decision to join the New York Jets and updates on his recovery from a devastating injury.
As the 2024 NFL season approaches, it remains to be seen how Rodgers might balance his potential appearances on McAfee's show with his responsibilities as an NFL quarterback.
In 2023, Rodgers provided weekly updates on the show despite being sidelined with an injury.
As McAfee put it, "We want to be good for sports in sports media. We want to build sports. And we'd appreciate if you just gave us a fair shot."
One thing is clear, that the return of Rodgers to The Pat McAfee Show would undoubtedly generate significant interest and potentially controversy, and would be very interesting to watch how things go forward from here.
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