Late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel found himself in a feud with NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers after Rodgers suggested that Kimmel might be concerned about his name appearing on a list of associates of convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Rodgers made these remarks during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” when one of the hosts asked him if he was eagerly awaiting the release of the associates list.
In a light-hearted manner, Rodgers replied, “There’s a lot of people, including Jimmy Kimmel, are really hoping that doesn’t come out,” which elicited laughter from the show hosts.
McAfee mentioned that Kimmel had previously used a clip from his show to mock Rodgers regarding the Epstein list, which a judge had ordered to be released.
Rodgers continued to joke, “I’ll tell you what, if that list comes out, I definitely will be popping some sort of bottle!”
In response to Rodgers’ comments, Kimmel took to social media to fire back. He addressed Rodgers, expressing that he had never met, flown with, visited, or had any contact with Epstein, nor would his name be found on any such list. Kimmel accused Rodgers of spreading false information that put his family in danger and warned of potential legal consequences.
This exchange between Kimmel and Rodgers comes amidst controversy surrounding Rodgers’ public criticism of the NFL’s COVID-19 lockdown response and his skepticism about vaccines. Rodgers, who was highly anticipated as the savior of the New York Jets’ Super Bowl aspirations when he was traded to the team at the beginning of the 2023 season, suffered an injury in the first game, leading to a disappointing season for both the team and its fans.
The New York Jets’ failure to make the playoffs marked their 13th consecutive season without postseason play, making it the longest active drought not only in the NFL but also among all teams in the NBA, NHL, and MLB.
