Aaron Rodgers is out to prove that even at 40, he is still a top quarterback — even if he doesn’t want to break down his wins after the game.
Following the New York Jets‘ 24-3 blowout win over the New England Patriots on Thursday, September 19, Rogers did a brief on-field interview with Amazon Prime sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung before heading to the locker room. He did not, however, join Charissa Thompson, Tony Gonzalez, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Andrew Whitworth and Richard Sherman for their postgame show.
While Rodgers was under no obligation to do so, the perceived snub has rubbed some people the wrong way — including another reporter who considers him a friend.
Veteran sports journalist Erin Andrews spoke out on the Monday, September 23 episode of the “Calm Down” podcast, which she hosts with Thompson. While Andrews, 46, was glad to hear Rodgers tell Hartung that he “felt like his old self,” she thought the line would have been more effective on the postgame show where he would be able to discuss it further.
“I’d rather it have been up there on the desk,” she said. “I was looking forward to two of my really good friends yukking it up. I didn’t love it.”
Andrews added that she and Thompson are friendly with Rodgers and she expected the quarterback to indulge the Prime postgame team.
“I get really sensitive when our people … it’s not that they don’t make the time – I’ve made jokes to Tom Brady about it, ‘Remember the game that you threw for 400 yards and you ran right past me on postgame and I reapplied lip gloss, are you insane?’ It’s just rude,” Andrews said. “Or now Aaron, when I talk to you, ‘How dare you not go up on that desk with Charissa.’ It does get personal.”
Rodgers’ on-air interview with Hartung lasted just two minutes, which is typical for a sideline chat after a game.
“I felt pretty good tonight. I was doing some things that I did as a younger man,” he told Hartung as the home crowd chanted his name. “I’ve said that as the games go on, I’m going to feel more comfortable moving around a bit…sometimes, games like this, you need those little extra plays that I used to do a lot when I was a younger player, but it’s nice to have that element back.”
With Hartung working in a limited window, she was only able to fire a couple questions to Rodgers, whereas an appearance on the postgame show could have been more of a discussion between athlete and reporters. It was a missed opportunity for the fans and, according to Andrews, a personal blow to those on set.
