Aaron Rodgers will no longer appear on ESPN's The Pat McAfee Show for the remainder of the current NFL season, following his controversial claims about talk show host Jimmy Kimmel. The Super Bowl winner and four-time NFL MVP had suggested that Kimmel could be named in documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Pat McAfee announced the end of the weekly segment 'Aaron Rodgers Tuesday' on Wednesday, prompting applause from his staff. McAfee said he was pleased to move on from Rodgers, acknowledging that the backlash over the comments had given critics 'a lot of ammo' against the show.
Rodgers later clarified that he did not intend to accuse Kimmel of paedophilia, stating he was not 'stupid enough' to make such an allegation without evidence. He claimed his reference was in response to Kimmel mocking him over UFO remarks in March 2023.
Kimmel denied any connection to Epstein in a statement on X/Twitter, calling Rodgers' words 'reckless' and threatening legal action. On his show, Kimmel delivered a seven-minute monologue describing Rodgers as 'hamster-brained'.
It remains unclear whether Rodgers will return for future seasons. An ESPN spokesperson declined to comment further on McAfee's announcement.
