Aaron Rodgers has come under fire again – including from a former teammate – for his lucrative appearances on The Pat McAfee Show, as the Jets’ on-field woes continue.
The quarterback appears on the ESPN show every Tuesday and has previously sparked controversy with his comments, most notably when he appeared to suggest Jimmy Kimmel was involved in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
Now Rodgers, who reportedly makes more than $1 million from McAfee, is being attacked for “making extra money” by speaking out about the Jets’ problems, even as his own performance is under scrutiny.
The Jets are 2-5 this season after four straight losses. Rodgers has been guilty of costly interceptions in recent weeks and now the quarterback is being accused of talking the talk but not walking the talk.
His former Packers teammate Jeff Saturday also questioned why Rodgers is using McAfee to send messages to the Jets locker room.
Aaron Rodgers has come under fire again for his appearances on The Pat McAfee Show
With Rodgers as quarterback, the New York Jets have had a miserable start to the season
“That’s the problem, brother. That’s the problem: what you say, do your actions match your words?’ Saturday said on ‘Get Up’.
‘Let’s not listen to the media. Let’s not pay attention to it. But I continue for an hour per clip and earn extra money.’ What are we going to do? You talk to your team through (this) – they ain’t looking at McAfee, man.”
Former NFL cornerback Domonique Foxworth, meanwhile, said Rodgers should worry about his own performance before preaching to teammates.
The four-time MVP has thrown 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions this season, and Foxworth said, “Throw a couple touchdowns, man… I get it, it’s a leadership thing and maybe that works for them in the locker room.
Ex-NFL star Domonique Foxworth said Rodgers should be concerned about his own performance
“But I guess in the locker room they’re like, ‘Man, don’t throw it to the guys in the other colored jerseys and don’t throw any touchdowns. I don’t want to hear this.’
After the Jets’ loss to the Steelers last week, Rodgers claimed, “Personally and as a team, we are playing with too much anger and not enough joy.”
He added: “Of course it’s nice when you win, but I think there are ways to take some of the pressure off. And it has to start with me this week – with my energy and my approach. We have to respond better to adversity and I have to take the lead in that.’
But ex-Bengals and Browns receiver Andrew Hawkins blasted Rodgers for saying that now, instead of before the season.
“All those things he says, yeah, that’s what you should do — not now. That should have happened in April. That should have happened in a mini-camp,” Hawkins said.
“If you develop your fight strategy after the fight starts, it’s over, buddy. Get into the fetal position and breathe through your nose. Because you lost. It’s that simple.’
