Whether it be Ayahuasca retreats, impromptu trips to Egypt, or discussions around his future with the New York Jets, Aaron Rodgers has continued to stay in headlines this offseason. And on Thursday’s edition of ESPN’s First Take, Randy Scott offered an explanation in his eyes for some of Rodgers’ recent activities.
Scott, who is typically seen by viewers of the network as an anchor of SportsCenter, is one of the many SC hosts that has been a part of “Takeover Week” at ESPN.
Thursday’s edition of First Take featured the likes of Scott, Gary Striewski, Nicole Briscoe, and Michael Eaves, all best known for their roles on SportsCenter. But it was Scott who perhaps made the most waves on the show Thursday when he went on a detailed rant about why he believes Rodgers is going through a “midlife crisis”.
“He’s on the wrong side of 40,” said Scott of Rodgers. “As somebody who’s been through a midlife crisis, and I’ve got four tattoos to show for it. This man’s midlife crisis is Ayahuasca, Egypt trips, and sparring with his head coach in the media in the biggest city in the world.”
Randy Scott on Aaron Rodgers: “He’s on the wrong side of 40. As somebody who’s been through a midlife crisis and I’ve got four tattoos to show for it. This man’s midlife crisis is Ayahuasca, Egypt trips, and sparring with his head coach in the media in the biggest city in the… pic.twitter.com/mT0MBFPXWH
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 15, 2024
Immediately, both Stephen A. Smith and Gary Striewski pushed back against this argument from Scott.
“That doesn’t sound like a midlife crisis to me,” said Smith.
“That sounds like a good time,” added Striewski.
Smith in particular continued to critique Scott’s take, asking the bosses at ESPN “Who is running SportsCenter?”
“Who is running SportsCenter? I mean, there is something going on,” said Smith. “I gotta talk to the bosses of SportsCenter. What’s going on? They getting you up too early? You getting to sleep too late? What the hell is up?”
It’s certainly a bit of an unnecessary comment from Scott. But it’s truthfully hard to blame him considering the countless number of times that Rodgers has voiced his displeasure with the media in recent years.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.