ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith has addressed the situation with Pat McAfee and Aaron Rodgers following the latter using ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ to air a baseless accusation.
Speaking on said show this week, Rodgers implied that Jimmy Kimmel’s name would be on the list containing the names of Jeffrey Epstein’s associates that was disclosed on Wednesday.
The late-night ABC host shot back on social media, threatening to sue the Jets quarterback. And, given that both ESPN and ABC are owned by Disney, the unlikely feud has opened up a corporate can of worms, which is probably why McAfee apologized the following day, though he insisted Rodgers was joking.
“I can see exactly why Jimmy Kimmel felt the way he felt, especially with his position. But I think Aaron was just trying to talk S-,” McAfee said. “Now, did it go too far? Jimmy Kimmel certainly thought that was the case…But that is Aaron and Jimmy, they’ve been [going back and forth].”
Smith, meanwhile, doesn’t think McAfee had to apologize as he did not know what Rodgers would say.
“I can applaud Pat McAfee for apologizing, but let me be the first to say, he didn’t need to,” Stephen A. said on his own show. “He didn’t do anything wrong. It’s his show, the show is live, he didn’t know what Aaron Rodgers was going to say.”
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Smith has also advised Aaron Rodgers to offer Kimmel an apology given the seriousness of his accusations.
“I do feel like Pat McAfee hit the nail on the head when he said Aaron Rodgers was just taking a dig at him [Kimmel], he was just joking around, he wasn’t necessarily serious about such a thing,” he added.
“But let me say this to Aaron Rodgers – Jeffrey Epstein ain’t nothing to joke about. I love Aaron Rodgers, everybody knows he’s a bad man, you know me. But Aaron Rodgers should just apologize. Plain and simple. Just un-complicate the situation. Even if you don’t like Jimmy Kimmel, say that too!”
If we know Rodgers well, that is probably not happening. He’s more likely to double down than to walk back on what he said, but let’s see what happens.
