Aaron Rodgers Criticizes Fauci, ESPN During Pat McAfee Show Appearance

Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers sharply criticized Anthony Fauci and ESPN during a Monday appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.

The Show: When asked about his final NFL season, Rodgers responded "I'm going to plead the fifth…like that absolute coward, Tony Fauci," adding "I thought you [Fauci] were the science, and he gets up there and can't answer a question." Rodgers continued by asking, "What are you scared of, Tony? I thought you were the science." Rodgers also spent time calling out ESPN and mainstream media, saying "What are they gonna say about me now? Now that you can't talk about the COVID stuff because obviously it was made in a lab in China, that's not even questionable anymore. Tony Fauci is an absolute criminal."

Related: Dr. Fauci Pleads the Fifth

Candid and Authentic: Opinion writer for The Daily Signal (Right bias) Robert B. Bluey highlighted how the crowd "roared" and the "executives at ESPN headquarters probably sat fuming" as Rodgers "connected with Steelers Nation and with millions of other Americans who no longer trust the institutions that lectured us about masks, social distancing, vaccines, and so much more." Bluey asserted that Rodgers was "right to call out Fauci" for invoking the 5th Amendment more than 100 times, even after receiving a preemptive presidential pardon "that stripped away any real legal exposure." According to Bluey, who was standing a few feet behind the stage during the show, "Rodgers delivered one of the most candid and authentic interviews you'll ever watch."

A Classic Trio: Outlets on the left and center like USA Today (Lean Left) and Forbes (Center) tended to highlight Rodgers' history more than the interview itself, with USA Today mentioning that the Steelers' quarterback "famously misled the media about his COVID-19 vaccination status in 2021" and Forbes calling him a "noted COVID-19 vaccine skeptic." USA Today compared the "classic trio" known as peanut butter, jelly, and bread to "Aaron Rodgers, the 'Pat McAfee Show' and political rambling." 

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