Aug 26, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) greets the cheers of fans on his first appearance as a Jet against the Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
FeaturedNFLBy Arthur Weinstein on

Aaron Rodgers has laid down the challenge to Travis Kelce.

Will the Kansas City Chiefs star accept?

Rodgers, who hasn’t played since tearing his Achilles four plays into the New York Jets’ season, has stayed busy with rehab and his weekly guest appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.

Tuesday’s topic naturally turned to the recent tiff between Rodgers and Kelce. Rodgers last week referred to Kelce as “Mr. Pfizer,” a nod to Kelce’s appearance in commercials touting Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine.

Kelce responded to the remark with good humor Friday.

“I thought it was pretty good … Who knew I’d get into the vax wars with Aaron Rodgers? Mr. Pfizer versus the Johnson and Johnson family over there,” Kelce said, in a reference to Jets owner, J&J heir Woody Johnson.

Rodgers told The Pat McAfee Show he wants to kick the “vax war” up a notch. He wants to debate Kelce on the Covid-19 vaccines.

“Well, there’s a lot of propaganda out there,” Rodgers said. “Lot of propaganda out there. Listen, you know, Mr. Pfizer said he didn’t think he’d be in a vaxx war with me. … This ain’t a war, homey, this is conversation. But if you wanna have some sort of duel, debate, have me on the podcast, come on the show. Let’s have a conversation.

“Let’s do it like in John Wick IV, right? So we both have a second, right? So somebody to help us out. I’m gonna take my man RFK, Jr. . . . And he can have, you know, Tony Fauci or some other pharmacrat, and we can have a conversation about this.”

Rodgers said he did not mind Kelce referencing the QB’s ties to vaccine manufacturer Johnson & Johnson through the Jets owner, getting a dig in at Pfizer in the process.

“So I don’t mind you calling me ‘Mr. Johnson & Johnson,'” Rodgers said. “I mean, you know, I made a tiny little joke about a guy shilling for a, you know, potentially — it’s not potentially, but it’s a you know corrupt company and everybody kind of loses their minds over it.”

Now all we need is a time and place for the debate, and some popcorn. Obviously, most fans know enough not to take the advice of an NFL player on the vaccine. Only your personal doctor knows what’s right for your situation.

But this would be fun. Social media had a blast pondering a Rodgers-Kelce vax debate.


[Pro Football Talk]

About Arthur Weinstein

Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.

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