The Shady Nickname Aaron Rodgers Gave Travis Kelce, Explained
Aaron Rodgers has spoken openly about deciding against getting a COVID-19 vaccine. In August 2021, the then Green Bay Packers quarterback told reporters he was "immunized" against the respiratory virus. "I thought there was a possibility that I say I'm immunized and maybe [the press] understand what that means, maybe they don't, maybe they follow up," Rodgers explained on "The Joe Rogan Experience" in August 2022. The following year, Rodgers came up with a vaccine-related nickname for fellow NFLer Travis Kelce.
Even though Rodgers was sidelined with a season-ending Achilles injury, the New York Jets quarterback commented on how his team handled Travis Kelce when they played the tight end's Kansas City Chiefs. "Y'know, Mr. Pfizer, we kind of shut him down a little bit; he didn't have a crazy impact game," Rodgers said on "The Pat McAfee Show" on October 3, 2023. A few weeks earlier, in September 2023, Kelce starred in an ad campaign for Pfizer where he spoke about getting both his flu and COVID-19 shots.
A few days after Rodgers's comments, Kelce was asked about his thoughts on the nickname. "I thought it was pretty good. With the mustache, I look like someone named Mr. Pfizer," the Chiefs star said during a press conference on October 6. "Who knew I'd get into vax wars with Aaron Rodgers, man?" Kelce jokingly added while mentioning that Rodgers's Jets were owned by the family behind Johnson & Johnson. Those comments caused Rodgers to lay down the gauntlet for Kelce.
Aaron Rodgers wanted to debate Travis Kelce
After Aaron Rodgers caught wind of Travis Kelce's response to his "Mr. Pfizer" nickname, he not only doubled down on the moniker, but threw down a challenge for the Kansas City Chiefs tight end. "Mr. Pfizer said he didn't think he would be in vax war with me. This ain't a war, homie," the New York Jets quarterback said while once again appearing on "The McAfee Show" on October 10, 2023. "But if you want to have some sort of duel, debate, have me on the podcast, come on the show, let us have a conversation," he added. Rodgers even tossed out the idea of the NFL players recruiting Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Anthony Fauci to participate.
As he did before, Kelce took the comments from Rodgers in stride. "I think he was just having fun with it, but I'm no debater, man," Kelce said on the "Paper Route" podcast on October 24. "It's all fun and games, at least between us," the Chiefs player said while adding he had "respect" for Rodgers.
A month later, Kelce had further comments about Rodgers. While the Pro Bowler still remained amicable, he questioned the injured quarterback's motives. "He's in a situation where Tuesdays are his game days," Kelce told the Wall Street Journal in a feature article published November 2023. "Who knows what the guy is going through?" he added. Not long after, Rodgers was involved in a far more intense exchange of words with a notable celebrity.
Jimmy Kimmel's explosive response to Aaron Rodgers
The back and forth between Aaron Rodgers and Travis Kelce related to the COVID-19 vaccine may have been good-natured, but the exchange between the NFL quarterback and Jimmy Kimmel that followed was far more heated. On an episode of "The Pat McAfee Show" airing on January 2, 2024, Rodgers flippantly implied that Kimmel would be among those named on the Jeffrey Epstein client list. The late-night host caught footage of Rodgers's comments on X, formerly Twitter, and unloaded on the four-time NFL MVP. "Dear A**hole ... Your reckless words put my family in danger. Keep it up and we will debate the facts further in court. @AaronRodgers12," Kimmel tweeted on January 2.
During his next appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," Rodgers walked back his comments about Kimmel being on the Epstein list. He also mentioned that his beef with the comedian stemmed from cracks Kimmel made about his vaccination status. "The history of this — whatever this is between Jimmy and I — this goes back to COVID times," Rodgers said on January 9. He was referencing jokes Kimmel had made on-air about the quarterback in November 2021. "Aaron is a Karen, that's the fact of the matter," Kimmel said on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" in reference to Rodgers being unvaccinated for COVID-19.
Following the explosive feud with Kimmel, Pat McAfee announced on January 10 that Rodgers would not be making his scheduled Wednesday appearances on the show for the remainder of the season.