ESPN’s woke turn is out-of-control.
The network keeps wading into the culture wars.
And now ESPN censored one star athlete over one political statement that infuriated Democrats.
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has a weekly guest spot on The Pat McAfee Show.
McAfee – a former punter for Indianapolis Colts – hosts one of the most popular sports talk shows in the country and is known for his breezy and irreverent takes on sports.
But during this Rodgers interview, the feed cut out as Rodgers began to discuss the COVID-19 vaccine.
Was this on purpose?#Jets QB Aaron Rodgers was starting to talk about vaccine on the @PatMcAfeeShow and the ESPN broadcast feed got cut off.pic.twitter.com/WTXFpvbXmEhttps://t.co/ertIqJfdO5
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) October 31, 2023
Rodgers is one of the biggest names in sports opposed to COVID mandates and restrictions.
In 2021, Rodgers caused a minor firestorm when he contracted COVID after telling the press he was “immunized,” which they all took to mean vaccinated.
But Rodgers actually took a treatment plan of vitamins and supplements to lessen his chances of getting COVID.
Rodgers also mocked Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce as “Mr. Pfizer” after Kelce appeared in a Pfizer commercial to promote this year’s COVID booster.
ESPN’s come under fire from liberal activists in the media for allowing Rodgers a platform on The Pat McAfee Show to question COVID mandates.
Indianapolis Star columnist Gregg Doyel fumed that ESPN is making America less safe by allowing Rodgers to question the vaccine.
“But every Tuesday, Aaron Rodgers emerges from his rathole and looks around smugly, enjoying the smell of his own (breath), and says something really, really stupid about vaccines. And because we live in this cult of fame, liking and believing and even electing people only because they’re rich or famous, people believe Rodgers. So he’s out there, every Tuesday, saying something that makes us less safe,” Doyel wrote.
Doyel made this claim despite there being no evidence the vaccine keeps anyone safer.
Doyel then predictably and falsely blamed conservatives for making the pandemic worse by opposing lockdowns, mask mandates, and vaccine requirements.
“When it comes to the coronavirus and the way the conservative movement made it worse, for reasons known only to some of them – because most of those people still have no idea how badly they were misled – I can’t ignore someone like Aaron Rodgers,” Doyel added.
Doyel then questioned why ESPN isn’t censoring Rodgers.
“So why is ESPN letting Aaron Rodgers enjoy that same pulpit – on McAfee’s show – to spout his nonsense?” Doyel wondered.
“And why is Aaron Rodgers making more than $1 million to do it?” Doyel continued.
It looks like ESPN may have taken this advice to heart and decided to censor Rodgers going forward.
