Longtime Green Bay Packers quarterback and likely future Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Aaron Rodgers is evidently among those displeased with FBI Director Kash Patel, who went viral for celebrating with the gold-medal-winning U.S. men’s hockey team in Italy last month.
Rodgers, who spent last season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, took a jab at Patel during a Wednesday appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show.” Leaked videos showed the 46-year-old Patel drinking beer and partying with the men’s team following their gold medal victory over Canada. Patel later FaceTimed Donald Trump from the locker room, and the president invited the men’s team to the White House; most of the team visited Trump two days later, and some attended the State of the Union address.
The controversy came less than 12 hours after the Secret Service fatally shot a man who attempted to break into Mar-a-Lago. Patel also drew significant backlash over accusations that he was improperly using government resources.
“Can we get that one guy out of the locker room, though and get him working on something else?” Rodgers asked. “That’s a bad look. Have some awareness.”
🚨🚨BREAKING🚨🚨
AARON RODGERS WENT OFF ON FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL FOR CELEBRATING WITH THE TEAM USA HOCKEY TEAM.
“CAN WE GET THAT ONE GUY OUT OF THE LOCKER ROOM? THAT’S A BAD LOOK. HAVE SOME AWARENESS.”
Rodgers wants Patel to work on the Epstein files.pic.twitter.com/g4U7iVxouV
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) March 4, 2026
Patel had not addressed Rodgers’ comments as of publication.
Although Rodgers has an extensive history of political and social commentary, he is not strictly tied to one party or movement the way that many other athletes are. Rodgers has been critical of Trump, specifically for how the president handled the COVID-19 pandemic and the power that he gave then-health advisor Anthony Fauci during Operation Warp Speed.
During an appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast last year, Rodgers suggested that the government manufactured HIV and claimed that Fauci “had a stake in the Moderna vaccine.” Rodgers infamously claimed that he’d been “immunized” against COVID-19 in August 2021, months before a positive test forced him to miss a game. The four-time NFL MVP then explained that he opted for holistic treatment rather than getting the vaccine.
Here’s Aaron Rodgers telling Joe Rogan that the NFL sent some Fauci stooge to each team to threaten and pressure players into getting the Covid-19 vaccine as if it prevented the virus.
— Bobby Burack (@burackbobby_) August 28, 2022
Shortly thereafter, then-President Joe Biden was caught on camera telling a Packers fan to have them ensure that Rodgers finally got vaccinated. In an interview that was published several weeks later, Rodgers later questioned how Biden won the 2020 election, citing his often-disastrous press conferences, and called out the administration’s “fake White House set.”
Rodgers took another shot at Biden last year, quipping that he had a “Joe Biden moment” while walking around a joint practice between the Steelers and Jacksonville Jaguars and feeling like he didn’t know that many people there.
As of publication, Rodgers has not committed to playing next season, though he has been linked to rejoining the Steelers and Mike McCarthy, who coached him in Green Bay from 2005-18. Pittsburgh hired McCarthy in January shortly after Mike Tomlin abruptly resigned.
Barring an extension in the coming days, the 42-year-old Rodgers will become an unrestricted free agent next week.
