New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers was approached by presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about being his vice president and running mate in the 2024 election.
Kennedy Jr. also approached former Minnesota governor and professional wrestler Jesse Ventura about being a potential running mate.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been talking with New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers for the past month
In an article from the New York Times, Kennedy Jr. said that he’s been in touch with Aaron Rodgers “pretty continuously” for the past month.
A representative for Aaron Rodgers did not respond to the New York Times’ request for comment. Rodgers, who is coming off of an Achilles tear after playing just a few plays for the New York Jets, is expected to start for them this fall.
The presidential election takes place in November, which would heavily interfere with the timing of the NFL season. Kennedy Jr. is expected to say who his running mate will be in the next few weeks before certain states’ deadlines that require a vice president for ballot access come into effect.
Other than Rodgers and Ventura, Kennedy Jr. reached out to former representative Tulsi Gabbard, Senator Rand Paul and former presidential candidate Andrew Yang.
New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers has been politically outspoken in recent years
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has become known for how politically outspoken he’s been in recent years. Beginning with the COVID-19 pandemic, Rodgers has made his political opinions known to NFL fans.
Rodgers admitted to misleading the media by saying he was immunized during the COVID season when he doubled down on COVID conspiracy talks on the Pat McAfee show. He explained what he meant in a Pro Football Talk article.
“Do they still not understand why I said ‘immunized’”? Rodgers said. “Do they know that I was in an appeal process? Not to mention, like, I don’t know what you would call it if you go to a homeopathic doctor and you get taken to an immunization process, what do you say you are?”
He similarly explained how he played with words in an article from CBS Sports.
“I’d been ready the entire time for this question and had thought about how I wanted to answer it,” Rodgers told Rogan. “And I had come to the conclusion I’m gonna say, ‘I’ve been immunized.’ And if there’s a follow-up, then talk about my process. But, (I) thought there’s a possibility that I say ‘I’m immunized,’ maybe they understand what that means, maybe they don’t.
“Maybe they follow up. They didn’t follow up. So then I go the season (with) them thinking, some of them, that I was vaccinated.”
Rodgers backed Kennedy Jr. early on as they both shared skepticism about the COVID-19 pandemic. He was in a picture hiking with Kennedy Jr. in late February.
Hiking with @AaronRodgers12 and his amazing Achilles ⛰️ pic.twitter.com/zBbJWUdOS7
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) February 21, 2024
Rodgers explained why he thinks it’s important for him to speak out against COVID-19 vaccines in a Fox News article.
“In the end, you’re on a decision. You stand for something, you stand courageously for what you believe in, or the opposite side of that is you say nothing and you’re a coward. And I wasn’t willing to do that,” Rodgers said during his appearance on “The Joe Rogan Experience.”
“Now, say whatever you want about the way I went about doing it – in the end, I made a decision that was best for me. And I’m gonna continue talking about this stuff, because it’s important to me. I don’t want the memories to be lost. I don’t want what I went through to get brushed over.”
It is unclear how Rodgers would juggle the two responsibilities as Rodgers recently said he planned on playing in the NFL for three or four more years. The New York Jets were also unable to be reached for comment.
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1 Comment
This is crazy on so many different levels: RFK’s son is running as an independent? RFK and JFK are/were icons of the Democratic Party. RFK’s son is an anti-vaxxer? His famous father and uncle were establishment Democrats, with a decidedly liberal tilt. It’s hard to fathom that RFK’s son is like this.