When he’s not moonlighting as the quarterback of the New York Jets, Aaron Rodgers is perpetuating conspiracy theories on whatever podcast medium will have him. That doesn’t include his in-season weekly appearances on The Pat McAfee Show, which seems to be the most significant non-TV airtime that he’s received. But that’s not how the 39-year-old future NFL Hall of Famer intended for it to be.
Rodgers was among several celebrities who expressed interest in hosting Jeopardy! after Alex Trebek’s passing in November 2020.
After a slew of celebrities and potential replacement hosts took turns, the show’s executive producer, Mike Richards, took the helm. Initial reports of Richards taking over as daily host, with Mayim Bialik hosting primetime specials, sparked controversy due to past comments, not to mention rumors that this had been his plan all along. Ultimately, his reign was short-lived and he stepped down soon after the announcement.
This led to Ken Jennings sharing hosting duties with Bialik for a while. But Bialik eventually left, making Jennings the permanent host for season 40.
How does Rodgers fit into all of this?
Rodgers was a clear contender for the Jeopardy! hosting role. He’d not only triumphed on Celebrity Jeopardy! But also publicly expressed his deep admiration for the program.
And that narrative aligns with comments by Richards, the former executive producer, who, in a recent interview with People, opened up about being fired just one day into the job. In the tell-all interview, he revealed that he felt Rodgers was most prepared to take over for Trebek.
“Aaron Rodgers was definitely the most prepared,” Richards said. “I was blown away by that — the intensity in which he prepped — and he was so lovely to everyone on staff.”
That doesn’t exactly come as a surprise, as Rodgers is a competitor notorious for trying to gain an edge on his opponents. Just don’t ask the self-described history junkie where he did the majority of his research in preparation for his Jeopardy! hosting days.
While Richards’ praise for Rodgers’ on-set behavior might surprise some sports media figures, Rodgers is generally well-regarded by teammates, even recently being voted “most inspirational.” His return to practice demonstrates his commitment, even if seen as a potential attention grab. He likely would have played under any other circumstance if the Jets played a meaningful game past October (they did not), though potentially not at full capacity.
However, his comments regarding COVID-19, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and every conspiracy theory under the sun have alienated many fans, and he hasn’t exactly endeared himself to what would have been an extensive viewership around the United States. Although he doesn’t have to worry about juggling the schedule of being an NFL quarterback, vice-presidential candidate, and the Jeopardy! host, Richards said he would’ve figured that out.
“I was like, ‘How are you going to work this out with football scheduling?’ He said, ‘You’ll figure it out!'”
What could’ve been…
[People]
