Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers debunked the rumor that he would boycott the Super Bowl if Green Bay went that far this season.
The rumor in question originated with CBS Sports’ Boomer Esiason. He reported last week during his “Boomer and Gio” show that a source heard from Rodgers’ “direct circle” that the Packers quarterback was considering boycotting the Super Bowl due to the NFL’s COVID protocols.
Rodgers broached the subject during his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” Tuesday afternoon and called it “so ridiculously stupid.”
“I like to have a good sense of humor and joke and stuff, but that topic that was brought up is so ridiculously stupid that it’s even passed the point where I’m not even joking about it,” Rodgers told McAfee. “Do I have a problem with some of the protocols? Of course. But I would never joke about this. It’s the dumbest thing, I wouldn’t even joke about it.”
Turns out the joke was on Esiason and his co-host Gregg Giannotti. The duo acknowledged shortly after their report that they believe the information sent to them was part of a joke, as they announced on Twitter.
Before this gets even more out of hand, here’s some more context for the text Boomer received about Aaron Rodgers. At the end of our discussion, we all came to the conclusion that we thought it was a joke. pic.twitter.com/fNtDgQsWJP
– Gregg Giannotti (@GioWFAN) January 7, 2022
By this time, the rumor had circulated, so the damage had already been done.
RIVERA: Rating the performance of the NFL’s rookie quarterbacks
Normally, Rodgers wouldn’t care much for rumors. However, this one annoyed him because of how “ridiculously out of place” it is.
“I’ve cared a lot less in the last two years, but one thing that matters a lot to me is the ridiculous narratives about myself,” Rodgers said. “Especially the ones that are so ridiculously out of place. This was sheer comedy for me. But when sheer comedy turns into a little more respectable news outlets who then mention that it turns into an even bigger story, I felt it was time. to end that. “
Still, Rodgers had “a little fun” shooting down the rumor. He and his endorsements, Jordan Love and Kurt Benkert, participated in a lengthy Twitter thread during which Benkert and Love joked about being the source that leaked the story to Esiason.
This is not the first time Rodgers has had a dispute with a news outlet or personality this year. He was criticized for saying he was “immunized” when asked if he was vaccinated against COVID-19, and also messed with Hub Arkush, who claimed that he would not vote Rodgers for MVP because “he is the biggest idiot in the world” . league.”
That said, Rodgers has reason to disagree with Esiason’s actions, as he apparently did not thoroughly verify the apparent joke before revealing it on air. As a result, Rodgers wanted to make sure everyone knew that members of his “inner circle” would reveal something of that nature.
“No one in my ‘inner circle’ is talking to the media,” Rodgers said. “Nobody who I trust and care and with whom I have conversations is talking to any member of the media, they are going to leak anything.”