New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers revealed he was taken aback when independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. floated the idea of making the four-time NFL MVP his running mate for the 2024 election.
“My thing is, [Donald Trump] had four years to do it and didn’t drain the swamp,” Rodgers said in an interview with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson released Tuesday. “And whether he just got scared because of what he learned when he was in there — I think it’s very plausible.”
“But that’s why I was interested when Bobby came to me and said, ‘Would you think about being my running mate?’ And I said, ‘Are you serious? I’m a f‑‑‑ing football player.’ But I love this country, and I’d love to be a part of bringing it back to what she used to be.”
Rodgers, a fellow vaccine skeptic and friend of Kennedy, was among a handful of floated vice presidential picks for the independent candidate, who eventually chose tech lawyer and entrepreneur Nicole Shanahan.
When asked by Carlson if he thought about the VP opportunity, Rodgers said, “Oh yeah, I definitely thought about it.”
“I definitely thought about it, because I love Bobby and I just wanted to hear what he had to say about it,” he added.
The prospect of Rodgers as a VP pick sparked backlash earlier this year, as critics pointed to the athlete’s past controversial comments regarding the Sandy Hook shooting and vaccines used during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2011 Super Bowl champion came under scrutiny in 2021 after misleading the public about his vaccination status, then arguing he was a victim of the “woke mob.” He faced further criticism earlier this year following a CNN report that Rodgers shared conspiracy theories about the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.
Kennedy initially launched his White House bid under a Democratic ticket but became an independent candidate last fall, maintaining he does not fully align with Democrats or Republicans ideologically. The environmental lawyer has claimed he has made the ballot in 14 states, including California and Texas, which have the largest number of Electoral College votes.
He is currently polling at 7.6 percent of the national vote, while Trump has 41.4 percent and Biden has 40.7 percent, according to a polling index by Decision Desk HQ/The Hill.