Aaron Rodgers addresses chatter that his off-field decisions are a distraction for the Jets

Considering Aaron Rodgers was one step away from being a vice presidential candidate this spring, it’s fair for some to wonder how his off-field decisions have impacted the New York Jets’ operations. On Tuesday, the former Packers star addressed the chatter about the kind of distraction he is creating for the team, assuring reporters that once the season begins, he’ll be all about football.

“I appreciate anybody’s opinion, that’s the beauty in the First Amendment in this country and free speech, whether it’s positive to me or whether it’s negative,” Rodgers said after OTAs on Tuesday. “I joke about people talking about their vax status before they mention their comments about me, I do that because there are definitely people who view me under that lens, so the comments about me are usually framed in that mindset. It’s not a victimization comment, it’s just the truth.

“I respect those opinions but those are offseason things. Those are real opportunities, mostly podcasts with friends of mine, and the Bobby thing was a real thing. How it got out there? I don’t know. It wasn’t from me. Once the season starts, it’s all about football.”

Rodgers turned down potential VP spot to continue playing

The Jets star also offered one simple reason why he wouldn’t have accepted an offer to be a vice presidential candidate for independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

“I love Bobby,” Rodgers said. “We had a couple of really nice conversations but there were really two options: retire and be his VP, or keep playing. I wanna keep playing.”

Weeks after the reports swirled that Rodgers was a top contender to run on the ticket with RFK, the politician announced his running mate as Silicon Valley patent attorney Nicole Shanahan. Shanahan recently gave $8 million to help the campaign get on the ballot in all 50 states. At a fundraiser last week, she joked about being the third choice behind Rodgers and former wrestler Hulk Hogan.

“Hey, right now, we are in third place but we can win. I’m proof,” Shanahan said in Nashville. “I was in third place behind Aaron Rodgers and Hulk Hogan.”

Rodgers, coming off a torn Achilles tendon that ended his 2023 season with the Jets after just a few plays, has been on the warpath to make a successful return to the field. In January, he said believed the Jets needed to get the “bulls**t” unrelated to football out of the building. New York starts the 2024 season against the NFC champions, the San Francisco 49ers, on Sept. 9.