Pat McAfee-Aaron Rodgers relationship raises questions ESPN will have to answer

Being a maverick has made Pat McAfee extremely wealthy. He’ll make more money with ESPN than he did as a punter in the NFL. Of course, there is a price to be paid. Once you’re part of the sports media establishment it becomes more challenging to remain an independent and unfiltered voice. Dan Le Batard found this out the hard way as his repeated clashes with management in Bristol contributed to his departure.

McAfee hasn’t run into major trouble yet, but his relationship with Aaron Rodgers raises questions that The Worldwide Leader in Sports will have to deal with eventually. Last week, the New York Post‘s Andrew Marchand reported that The Pat McAfee Show pays Rodgers for his appearances. McAfee confirmed that “Aaron has made over $1,000,000 with us, for sure.”

Paying athletes and coaches for media appearances is not new. It’s most common in radio and podcasts, such New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone’s deal with Jomboy Media. However, the practice is considered a breach of journalistic ethics, particularly in the old-school, newspaper world. And usually, paid appearances are a little more obvious. In Rodgers’ case, it wasn’t.

We don’t know how long the quarterback has been a paid guest. McAfee is not a journalist, so he might not even be aware of the potential problems this creates. And even if he is aware, as someone who sees himself as an outsider, he likely doesn’t care. It’s a new media age.

But rest assured, ESPN is monitoring this situation or at least the public reaction.

You take care of your people.#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/mlw2vHaSVN

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 12, 2023

An ESPN talent having someone on their platform who routinely spews anti-vaccine misinformation is troubling. As an individual, Rodgers can say what he wants, but it becomes problematic when he continues to do so with virtually no pushback.

What makes this increasingly bizarre is that Rodgers keeps bringing up this topic. There are no more workplace vaccine mandates. You no longer need proof of vaccination to go to concerts or restaurants. So why is Rodgers asking about a potential debate between himself, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Travis Kelce, and Dr. Anthony Fauci? And why should he care that Kelce is appearing in ads for vaccines?

ESPN, which is notoriously sensitive to criticism, must have concerns. How far is it willing to let a paid guest espouse controversial opinions—even one who moves the ratings needle as strongly as Rodgers?

There is a credibility issue at stake. In light of last week’s revelation, it’s fair to speculate regarding some type of arrangement, explicit or implicit. Rodgers comes on the McAfee show. McAfee agrees not to push back on Rodgers.

There’s a reason why reputable journalists don’t pay for interviews. It’s to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest. ESPN has several conflicts of interest with its league broadcast partners. They have so many financial deals, and you have to wonder how many paid guests are on the payroll. How common is this practice with ESPN? However, the McAfee-Rodgers relationship might get to a point where it’s no longer worth the headache.

This also brings up something else to ponder. The Rodgers-McAfee wouldn’t be such a topic of discussion if the financial details weren’t leaked.

Who revealed this information to Marchand? And was the intention to harm McAfee, Rodgers, or both? Usually, leaks come from someone who stands to benefit. In the Marchand story, Rodgers, McAfee, and ESPN don’t look good.

We may never get a definitive answer to that mystery. There are so many questions and too few answers. What is clear: ESPN must confront these questions soon for the sake of credibility.