If you’re tired of hearing about Aaron Rodgers taking potshots at former athletes on ESPN, the Worldwide Leader isn’t tired of talking about it.
A day after Mina Kimes noted the New York Jets quarterback’s blatant hypocrisy in his criticism of the network, Ryan Clark did the same. For two consecutive days, it was a segment on First Take, and for two consecutive days, ESPN personalities took aim at Rodgers.
First Kimes, now a retired former player in Clark.
The 41-year-old Rodgers didn’t name names when he ripped ESPN for transforming into a bounty of “unfounded or asinine” takes, but his “both non-former players and former players who are trying to stay relevant fame-wise” definitely struck some chords.
“I find it extremely funny that he’s saying this on a show with a man, who as great as he was as a punter, is far more famous as a pundit in Pat McAfee,” Clark said. “A.J. Hawk, who I felt like was a good player, is now on TV, and he gets to give his thoughts as well. Actually, Aaron Rodgers, you’re being paid to be on that show to give your thoughts and opinions as a personality.
“And don’t get me wrong, he is not just to me a first ballot Hall of Famer, he is one of the best and most talented quarterbacks to ever play this game — and he ain’t no more. And his problem is, is that people are willing to say it. Are people not supposed to be able to do their jobs and do their jobs in an unbiased way and be honest about who you are as a player, because you feel like you had a better career than them?”
Clark doesn’t agree to that.
“And for you to sit up there and say that there are these people who feel like they have now become the celebrity, or they have now become the superstar, or the SportsCenter of old is gone — yeah, bruh because time’s changed,” Clark continued. “The reason that they’re paying you a million dollars or whatever it is to be on Pat McAfee is you had a great career, and people are going to listen to your opinions. Which people listen to my opinion, people listen to Cam Newton’s opinion, people listen to Stephen A. [Smith’s] opinion because those opinion(s) are informed.
“And so, my biggest problem with Aaron Rodgers, because, to me, I’m actually not upset about what he’s saying because I ain’t no hit dog; you know a hit dog will holler. My issue with him is you’re doing the exact same thing. And the reason you’re getting this opportunity to say these asinine things is because someone is paying you who is exactly the same thing that you’re now speaking out against.”
But remember, Rodgers made sure his rant didn’t include McAfee.
“This dude is once again tone-deaf,” Clark added. “This dude is once again unaware. This dude is once again arrogant to a point that’s almost sickening because he says these things, and he talks tough, and he behaves in his way, but he ain’t. He has all of this cache because he’s a good player, but they ain’t people around here that come around and talk about what type of leader you are. They ain’t people that come around here that talk about wanting to follow you because of the type of man you have been.
“This dude is a fraud. He’s been a fraud. He can throw a football, and that’s where it stops. Once that talent ends, so does him — and so does he. And to sit up there, man, and to be just blatantly hypocritical is funny and sickening at the same time.”
Please tell us how you really feel, RC.
Clark didn’t pull any punches. And at this rate, Rodgers might run out of glass houses to throw stones from.
[First Take]
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.