Pat McAfee issued an apology after airing comments made by New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show Tuesday. Rodgers claimed Jimmy Kimmel is among over 150 names related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein which will be made public later this month.
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Pat McAfee, the former NFL punter turned sports media personality, recently took up hosting an ESPN podcast but his debut appearance this week may have caused some disquiet at the network. New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers made claims during Tuesday’s show alleging ABC late night host Jimmy Kimmel is connected to Jeffrey Epstein associates that could be released by a judge later this month.
Rodgers claimed if any names of Epstein associates are released, “I will most definitely pop some sort of bottle.
Kimmel responded quickly on X, previously known as Twitter, with an angry post, suggesting legal action could be taken against Rodgers. On Wednesday’s episode of The Pat McAfee Show aired both on the ESPN app and Thursday nights during college football broadcasts, McAfee directly addressed Rodgers by suggesting she may just have been trying to talk some trash.
Pat McAfee’s apology
On Tuesday’s Pat McAfee Show, former NFL punter Aaron Rodgers addressed his ongoing feud with Jimmy Kimmel over speculation that late financier and alleged sexual offender Jeffrey Epstein had created a list of approximately 150 people associated with him; Rodgers suggested on Kimmel’s ABC talk show in March that some may include Kimmel himself; this led Kimmel to respond on X (formerly Twitter) by alleging Rodgers “recklessly placed my family in danger,” threatening legal action as a result.
On Wednesday’s episode of his ESPN eponymous show, McAfee issued an apology to Jimmy Kimmel for the comments regarding a potential lawsuit and thanked Kimmel for defending himself “factually.” (This apology was later shared via twitter by Barstool Sports editor).
Kimmel’s response
Sports talk show host Jon Taffer began Wednesday’s episode of his self-titled ESPN program with an extensive discussion regarding Aaron Rodgers’ comments from Tuesday. Rodgers has been a regular paid guest on Taffer’s program as well as cohost of its popular podcast; on Tuesday he discussed an upcoming release of court documents regarding Jeffrey Epstein’s list of associates.
Rodgers suggested during their discussion that his name might appear among those listed on a document expected to include high-profile figures linked to disgraced financier and convicted sexual offender Bernard Madoff. Kimmel quickly shot back, labelling Rodgers a “tin foil hatter” and calling Green Bay Packers star Aaron Rodgers a “whack packer.”
This spat comes after comedian Jimmy Kimmel attacked an NFL player over their position regarding COVID-19 vaccine in 2021, sparking legal proceedings between them and raising questions as to how ESPN will address such a feud between two of its top earners and parent company ABC (who produce Jimmy Kimmel Live!).
The rest of the story
McAfee is a college football analyst, currently featured on ESPN’s Thursday Night primetime games as a college analyst. Additionally, he appears on Get Up! and College GameDay Built by The Home Depot programs as well as SiriusXM Mad Dog Sports Radio as part of his regular coverage duties.
McAfee was an NFL punter for eight seasons and earned both Lou Groza and Ray Guy Awards honors during that time. At West Virginia University he earned All-American and All-Big East status, giving him further accolades.
On Tuesday’s Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers discussed an alleged list of people associated with Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted pedophile and sex trafficker. While discussing this list, Rodgers implied that Kimmel might be included on it; upon hearing this news he threatened legal action against Rodgers; their two personalities have had several disputes regarding vaccination and UFOs respectively.
