Chicago Bears fans had it rough for a long time. Not only did they have to watch Aaron Rodgers pick apart their defense on Sundays, but they’d suffer the double indignity of listening to every media outlet fawn over him as the greatest thing ever to happen to the NFL. What made it even worse is that it became increasingly apparent over the past four or five years that Rodgers, for all his incredible ability, isn’t the nicest person. He earned a growing reputation as self-absorbed, disrespectful, a conspiracy theorist, and a drug addict.
None of it mattered as long as he kept playing well. However, it appears his once-spotless reputation is taking a severe hit lately. It started with his ugly performance against the Minnesota Vikings in London, where he threw three costly interceptions, looking more and more like the 40-year-old man he is. Now, New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh has been fired, and many believe Rodgers had a direct hand in it. The national media has taken a hard left turn on him because of this, calling him a source of the offensive problems and a “coach killer.”
Aaron Rodgers is living the famous quote from The Dark Knight.
You either die a hero, or you live long enough to become the villain. If Rodgers had chosen to retire after the 2021 season, in which he’d won his fourth MVP, he would’ve been declared one of the best of all time. Instead, he persisted further. His final year in Green Bay saw a clear regression, capped by an ugly loss to Detroit in the season finale to miss the playoffs. He accepted a trade to the Jets, seemed entirely certain he’d turn the organization around, and then immediately ruptured his Achilles, missing the season.
This year, he skipped all minicamps in the spring, choosing to go on a drug-fueled trip to Egypt instead. He now has seven touchdowns and four interceptions in five games, putting him on pace for the worst quarterback rating by far in his career. Rather than work to circle the wagons and bring the locker room together, he likely had a hand in getting his head coach fired. It is hard to fathom how somebody could implode their legacy so quickly, but Aaron Rodgers found a way.
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He’s not gonna date you, Erik.
It should not be lost on anyone that Robert Saleh’s brother almost died in the 9/11 terror attacks — attacks that, according to former teammate DeShone Kiser, Aaron doesn’t think even happened.
If Saleh were a capitol-storming white christian nationalist and instead of the Muslim son of Lebanese immigrants, then I am 100% certain he’d still be HC of the NYJ. Rodgers is a conspiracy-mongering racist shithead and the entire league should throw a fucking parade when he finally, mercifully retires.
Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. Wish we played them.
Aaron is a walking, talking geyser of smarm, taint crust, and health disinformation. It is a miracle that the dumb fuck can even tie his own cleats or find his way to the Meadowlands.
Given the state of football punditry, I’m kind of surprised to see the media calling him out as his career circles the drain. But it’s still very, very great to see.
Rodgers is still living in Lambert’s head rent-free. Just let the train wreck itself, no reason to cheer as it hurtles towards self-destruction.