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Aaron Rodgers Launches Blistering Attack On Dr. Anthony Fauci
Aaron Rodgers reignited his long-running criticism of the government’s COVID-19 response during a live appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” calling Dr. Anthony Fauci a “coward and a criminal.” The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback made the inflammatory remarks as McAfee broadcast from the team’s training camp in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. The remarks came just days after McAfee used Fauci’s contentious Senate testimony as material for a recurring comedy segment on his ESPN program.
Although Rodgers initially received an enthusiastic reception from the crowd, the atmosphere reportedly became noticeably quieter when the conversation shifted from football to vaccines, Fauci and pandemic-era policies.
Rodgers called Fauci a “coward and a criminal” while criticizing vaccines and the public health policies implemented during the pandemic, though the quarterback did not provide evidence during the remarks establishing that Fauci had been convicted of or charged with a crime.
Fauci served as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and became one of the most recognizable members of the federal government’s COVID-19 response under Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden. He has since retired from government service.
Pat McAfee Recently Mocked Fauci’s Senate Testimony
Rodgers’ remarks followed another Fauci-focused segment on “The Pat McAfee Show.” Days earlier, McAfee incorporated the former public health official’s Senate appearance into a parody interview featuring Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. The segment was edited to make it appear as though Fangio were responding to McAfee and his co-hosts live. His answers were actually taken from an earlier press conference at the Eagles’ training camp.
McAfee opened the bit by asking, “Vic, we appreciate you joining us. Do you think your team will win the Super Bowl this year?”
The program then cut to Fangio’s previously recorded response of, “I’m gonna be like Fauci, and just take the 5th Amendment on all your questions.”
McAfee and the show’s other personalities continued asking questions about the Eagles, including whether defensive tackle Jalen Carter could receive a massive contract extension. Each time, the program returned to Fangio’s Fifth Amendment joke.
Fauci Invoked His Fifth Amendment Rights Before Senate Committee
4Fauci appeared before lawmakers under a congressional subpoena as part of an investigation into the origins of COVID-19 and decisions made during the pandemic. The hearing was chaired by Republican Sen. Rand Paul, who has repeatedly confronted Fauci over research funding, government policies and his previous statements to Congress. Fauci described Paul’s continued pursuit of him as an “unhinged obsession.”
During the hearing, Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination rather than answering questions that could potentially expose him to criminal liability. Exercising that constitutional right does not establish guilt or prove that a person committed a crime.
Nevertheless, Fauci’s decision quickly became the subject of political debate and material for McAfee’s sports-entertainment program. Rodgers then took the rhetoric further by publicly labeling Fauci a criminal during his own appearance on the show.
Aaron Rodgers Could Make Rare Preseason Appearance
4Away from the political controversy, Rodgers may be preparing to see significant preseason action for the first time since 2018, when Mike McCarthy was entering his final season in Green Bay.
Now reunited in Pittsburgh, McCarthy has reportedly asked the 42-year-old quarterback to play between 30 and 40 snaps across the Steelers’ first two preseason games. The matchups would carry additional significance because Pittsburgh will face the Packers and Jets, Rodgers’ two former teams.
“He (wants me out there for) 30 or 40 plays,” Rodgers told The Athletic’s Mike Silver. “I said, ‘Mike, if you want me to play, I’ll play.’ I’m not saying I want to do it. But if he wants me to, I will.”
McCarthy stressed that no final decision has been made and that the Steelers will evaluate the entire roster before determining Rodgers’ preseason workload. “Those decisions are really gonna be made once we get up to it,” the Steelers coach said.
“Trust me, I have a lot of ideas. … We have plans, but being a healthy system, let’s see what happens. A lot can happen between now and [then],” he added. “He’d like to play. I would like to see him play. But we won’t make a decision until we get all the way up to it because there’s more that goes into that than having one player play. It’s the culmination of players.”
Aaron Rodgers Credits Wife Brittani With Helping Heal Family Rift
4Rodgers has also opened up about a deeply personal change away from football, crediting his wife, Brittani, with helping him rebuild relationships with family members following years of estrangement. Speaking with The Athletic’s Michael Silver amid renewed attention surrounding viral family photos, Rodgers explained why he had historically avoided discussing the rift publicly.
“I’ve been really staunch, going back to when there was a schism, that I feel like that stuff should be off limits,” he said. “Now, not everybody in the family adhered to the same thing, but there are different things, situations, experiences, and people that actually change your life. So, when I say that my wife has completely changed my life, for the better, there’s no comparison to any time I’ve ever said those words before.”
