Aaron Rodgers fires back at Jimmy Kimmel in Jeffrey Epstein list feud

It’s fair to say the apology late night host Jimmy Kimmel was seeking won’t be coming from the NFL great any time soon.

Aaron Rodgers offered no apologies to Jimmy Kimmel on Tuesday (Wednesday AEDT).

To the contrary, the Jets’ quarterback doubled down on his disdain for the ABC late-night host in what can be best described as a rambling, profanity-laced, somewhat unhinged session during his weekly paid appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show”, as the New York Post reports.

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Kimmel, who believed he was slandered by an implication by Rodgers on last week’s show that he was fearful his name might appear in the Jeffrey Epstein sex-trafficking documents, some of which have since been released, called out Rodgers during a salty monologue Monday night.

Kimmel, who aggressively shot back at Rodgers last week on social media and threatened legal action, went scorched earth on the 40-year-old quarterback in his monologue, saying he was owed an apology, though wasn’t expecting one.

Kimmel’s expectations were met as Rodgers not only didn’t offer an apology, he railed further on Kimmel.

“I don’t have any apologies, not (for) that guy from ABC,’’ Rodgers said.

Aaron Rodgers has no intention of apologising. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Rodgers, on last week’s show, joked about the since-unsealed court documents said to contain more than 150 people mentioned in legal proceedings related to Epstein and said, “There’s a lot of people, including Jimmy Kimmel, that are really hoping that doesn’t come out.”

Rodgers added that should “that list” come out, he would “definitely be popping some sort of bottle”.

“I still haven’t popped a bottle because there hasn’t been any list that’s come out,’’ he said.

Then Rodgers curiously added, “And I’m glad that Jimmy is not on the list, I really am,’’ even though he had just said there was no list that’s emerged as of yet.

The feud between the two began during the Covid-19 pandemic when Kimmel ridiculed Rodgers for his stance against vaccinations and famously saying he was “immunised”.

“Aaron Rodgers has a very high opinion of himself,’’ Kimmel said during his Monday monologue.

“He genuinely thinks that because God gave him the ability to throw a ball, he’s smarter than everybody else.

Jimmy Kimmel devoted his opening monologue on Monday to Rodgers. (Randy Holmes/ABC via Getty Images)

“We learned during Covid somehow he knows more about science than scientists.

“A guy who went to community college, then got into Cal on a football scholarship, and didn’t graduate.

“Someone who never spent a minute studying the human body is an expert in the field of immunology. Aaron got two A’s on his report card and they were both in the word ‘Aaron’.”

Rodgers shot back at Kimmel, saying, “I think it’s impressive that a man who went to Arizona State and has 10 joke writers can read off the prompter. My education and JUCO and my three semesters at Cal, which I’m very proud of, has worked out for me and I’m glad to see it’s worked out for him as well.

“I wish him the best, but I don’t give a s**t what he says about me. As long as he understands what I actually said and I’m not accusing him of being on a list.’’

Instead of apologising for dragging Kimmel’s name into the Epstein ordeal, Rodgers clarified his comments, saying he didn’t accuse Kimmel of being a pedophile.

We are moving on.#PMSLivepic.twitter.com/LduEBnsdio

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 9, 2024

He then explained his disdain for Kimmel comes from when the host made jokes about Rodgers’ vaccination status.

He also called out Kimmel for giving a platform to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, whom Rodgers believes to be “one of the biggest spreaders of misinformation” during the pandemic.

Rodgers said he “totally understands” how serious an allegation of pedophilia can be and praised himself for the way he carefully phrased his criticism of Kimmel.

“For him to be upset about that? I get it,’’ Rodgers said. “Did you watch the quote? I’m not stupid enough to accuse you of that with absolutely zero concrete evidence. That’s ridiculous.”

Rodgers spent much of the rest of his time during the appearance defending his stance on the Covid-19 vaccinations and ridiculing Fauci as a fraud who misled the public.

He also blamed the media for its portrayal of his words, said he’s received death threats and has been called out for being anti-Semitic and a MAGA supporter.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and Rodgers during their last game of the regular season on January 7. (Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

“This is the game plan of the media,” Rodgers said. “They try and cancel.’’

Somewhere back in Florham Park, New Jersey, the Jets’ brass — owners Woody and Christopher Johnson, general manager Joe Douglas and head coach Robert Saleh — had to be quietly cringing.

What makes this all the more bizarre and hypocritical is the fact that Rodgers, during his end-of-season meeting with reporters on Monday, delivered an impassioned plea that the team “flush the bulls**t.’’

“If you want to be a winning organisation and put yourself in position to win championships and be competitive, everything that you do matters,’’ Rodgers said.

“And the bulls**t that has nothing to do with winning needs to get out of the building.’’

Oh, the irony.

More comedy ensued as Rodgers, waxing poetic about McAfee’s show and how it’s the new wave in media, talked about how no one wants to go on any other show and that the only reason athletes and celebrities go on the other shows is to promote a product they’re hawking.

Rodgers is paid a reported US$1 million a year for his weekly spots on McAfee.

More irony.

This story first appeared in the New York Post and was republished with permission.

Originally published as Aaron Rodgers fires back at Jimmy Kimmel in Jeffrey Epstein list feud