Aaron Rodgers denies accusing Jimmy Kimmel of pedophilia after host rips ‘hamster-brained’ Jets QB for Epstein list comment

Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers denied accusing Jimmy Kimmel of pedophilia, suggesting Tuesday his controversial comments involving the late-night host and a list of alleged Jeffrey Epstein associates was misconstrued.

Kimmel threatened legal action last week after Rodgers contended on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” that the host didn’t want the list naming associates of the late sex offender Epstein to be released.

On Tuesday’s episode of “McAfee,” Rodgers claimed he wasn’t insinuating Kimmel’s name was on the list, but that the list’s mere existence would mark the latest instance in which Rodgers was proven right about something Kimmel made fun of him about.

“I totally understand how serious an allegation of pedophilia would be, so for him to be upset about that, I get it,” Rodgers said. “I’m not stupid enough to accuse you of that with absolutely zero evidence.”

Kimmel has repeatedly poked fun at the Jets star on his ABC late-night show, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Rodgers indicated he was vaccinated against the virus when he wasn’t by telling reporters he was immunized.

On Tuesday, Rodgers brought up those past segments, claiming he’s since been proven correct about the dangers of the vaccine.

Kimmel also mocked the then-Packers quarterback in February after Rodgers speculated on “McAfee” that a string of UFO sightings might be meant to distract the public. He brought up the Epstein list shortly afterward.

That’s what last week’s Kimmel comment stemmed from, Rodgers said Tuesday.

“I was referring to the fact that if there is a list … and there are names on it, then that would be the second time that a ‘soft-brained, junior-college student, whacko, anti-vax, anti-Semite, spreader of misinformation, conspiracy theorist, MAGA,’ whatever other things that have been said by him and other people in the media, would be right,” Rodgers said.

Rodgers took issue as well with ESPN executive Mike Foss, who described the quarterback’s comment last week as a “dumb and factually incorrect joke” about Kimmel. ESPN and ABC are both owned by Disney.

“This is the game plan of the media,” Rodgers said. “This is what they do. They try and cancel. … If that doesn’t work, then they go to name-calling. I mentioned a lot of the names I’ve been called, and they don’t stick because I’m not anti-vax. I’m interested in informed consent and things that are in the best interest of my body.”

He continued, “I’m not a MAGA. I’ve never had any affiliation with anybody associated with that movement, which is OK if you are, though. There’s different opinions all over the place.”

Rodgers often referenced the COVID-19 pandemic during Tuesday’s appearance, during which he called into question the credibility of former chief White House medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci and emphasized his interest in doing his own medical research.

The 40-year-old quarterback’s comments came less than 24 hours after Kimmel spent much of Monday’s monologue on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” ripping Rodgers, including calling him “hamster-brained.”

“Out of the blue, [he] insinuated that I was nervous because the Jeffrey Epstein list was coming out,” Kimmel said on what was the first episode of 2024. “And then it did come out and of course my name wasn’t on it, and won’t ever be on it.”

Kimmel went on to state, “I don’t know Jeffrey Epstein. I’ve never met Jeffrey Epstein. I’m not on a list. I was not on a plane. I was not on an island or anything ever.”

“When you hear a guy who won a Super Bowl and did all the State Farm commercials say something like this, a lot of people believe it. … My wife hears from them. My kids hear from them,” continued Kimmel, noting that Rodgers “thinks that because God gave him the ability to throw a ball, he’s smarter than everyone else. … We learned, during COVID, that somehow he knows more about science than scientists.”

Kimmel expressed doubt that Rodgers would apologize, but said if he did, he would “accept his apology and move on.” McAfee apologized last week for his show “being a part of” the situation.

Following the orders of a federal judge in Manhattan last month, documents were unsealed beginning last week connected to Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre’s 2015 defamation suit against his partner Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving 20 years for sex trafficking.

Celebrities, politicians and other famous names are among those identified in the documents, which also include law enforcement officials, witnesses and staff of Epstein — whose suicide as he awaited trial in August 2019 spurred a slew of conspiracy theories. The majority of those named are not accused of any wrongdoing.

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