Aaron Rodgers’ hiatus from “The Pat McAfee Show” didn’t last long.
Less than 24 hours after McAfee said that Rodgers had made his last appearance on the show for the season, the Jets quarterback was back on the program on Thursday.
Rodgers, who was talking to McAfee “from the woods,” returned to talk about Bill Belichick leaving the Patriots.
It does jibe with what McAfee tweeted on Wednesday night when he said he hoped Rodgers would still come on to discuss “big events.”
Rodgers shared a moment with Belichick after the Jets-Patriots season finale on Sunday.
Rodgers touted Belichick’s “love of the game” and the respect the coach always showed him by waiting to speak to him after the Packers and Patriots played game against each other in 2018 and 2022.
Aaron Rodgers on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Jan. 11, 2024. Pat McAfee Show/YouTube“He seems like a lifer. It’s tough. You have Bill, but Nick (Saban) announcing his retirement,” Rodgers said. “That’s two iconic coaches. We play this game, we love this game, there’s this idea of game-changers.
“In actuality there’s really very few people who move the game forward — players or coaches… Bill Belichick and Nick Saban were those guys. Bill did things his own way and had a ton of success with it. People tried to copy it and couldn’t do it. I think that’s the greatest compliment you could give Bill besides the respect of competing against him. One of my favorite things about Bill is his love for the game.”
Rodgers’ segment was brief as he said goodbye after discussing Belichick and Nick Saban, who retired on Wednesday.
McAfee said on Wednesday’s show that he was relieved that the Rodgers’ segments were over for now, given the amount of scrutiny he has put the host under.
Rodgers has long used the program to expound on his controversial views on Covid, but the pressure was turned up in the last week after he sparked a feud with Jimmy Kimmel after suggesting the ABC late-night host could be on a list of Jeffrey Epstein associates.
McAfee later tweeted that Rodgers’ exit from the program was pre-planned and that he hoped he would return next season.
“Our fans know that ART [Rodgers’ segment] ends shortly after Aaron’s team’s season ends.. that’s how it’s been,” McAfee wrote.
Aaron Rodgers and Bill Belichick embrace after the Jets-Patriots game. AP“He’ll make random surprise welcomed pop ins during big events or offseason adventures but, it’s always been a season thing. I never said he’ll never be on the show again. I hope he chooses to still chat with us.”
McAfee didn’t even have to wait that long.
