When Aaron Rodgers’s future as an NFL quarterback was up in the air a couple of months ago, he planned a darkness retreat to help him get some guidance.
Reports, mainly coming from ESPN’s Adam Schefter and the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, had been swirling that Rodgers’s time with the Packers was done and he could retire or maybe join the Jets.
During this time, Rodgers made one of his appearances on the Pat McAfee Show and took aim at the two reporters.
“There’s an inner circle, and in my inner circle nobody talks to Ian Rapoport or Adam Schefter or to any of those people. Just stop with the fake news. I speak for myself and I will continue to do that.
“I have no problem with Ian Rapoport, Schefter. I think they’re really good at their jobs. When it comes to me, they don’t know s---. They really don’t.”
Rapoport, appearing on this week’s SI Media With Jimmy Traina, was asked for his reaction to Rodgers’s comments.
“I don’t mind any of that,” Rapoport told the podcast. “Just being totally honest. I really don’t. We all spend so much time on TV critiquing and analyzing football stuff, personal stuff, literally every part of it. We do it for hours. On podcasts and radio and TV, everything. So when he gets a microphone, he’s allowed to say whatever he wants, as far as I’m concerned. I don’t really take offense to that. There’s nothing offensive in there anyway.
“I feel like I know plenty about him. I’ve broken plenty of stories about him. I don’t mind. If we’re gonna ask for access from these guys and we’re gonna want them to be honest, we gotta accept what they say. If he doesn’t want to be reported on the way he’s been reported on, (1) O.K., (2) he’s allowed to respond to it. I didn't take offense to that. I’d rather have an open line of communication and have someone be honest with me. If I was talking to him one on one and he said that to me to my face, I would actually appreciate that rather than the opposite, so at least we can talk on a regular, human level.”
Rapoport revealed that he does have Rodgers’s phone number, but unlike Schefter, Rodgers has not told him to lose it.
Other topics covered with Rapoport on SI Media With Jimmy Traina include:
• Why he loves covering the NFL draft
• What NFL event causes him to get the least amount of sleep
• Thoughts about the 2023 NFL schedule release
• Competing with ESPN’s Adam Schefter
• Enjoying the Shams vs. Woj rivalry
• His favorite experience breaking a story
• His biggest mistake breaking a story
You can listen to the podcast below or download it on Apple, Spotify and Google.
