Aaron Rodgers has become more of a ‘pop icon celebrity’ than a football player after ‘not saying anything’ about his NFL future on the Pat McAfee Show.
That’s the damning verdict of Super Bowl-winning quarterback Chase Daniel, who has blasted Rodgers for giving nothing away about his next move during the ESPN interview.
The four-time MVP made a shock appearance on McAfee’s week-daily sports talk show Thursday as he continues to weigh up whether to play on for another season or bring the curtain down on his illustrious career.
After being released by the New York Jets last month, Rodgers, who turned 41 in December, has held talks with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants of late, although the latter team is no longer in the running after signing another veteran free-agent quarterback in Russell Wilson.
Despite the anticipation over his future, he admitted he is still unsure about what to do next, with retirement very much still an option.
And Daniel was left deeply frustrated by his coy appearance on the show, hitting out at Rodgers for continuing to drag out his decision.
Aaron Rodgers is more of a ‘pop icon celebrity’ than an NFL player, says Chase Daniel (right)
Daniel hit out at his fellow quarterback over his appearance on the Pat McAfee Show (pictured)
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‘He didn’t say anything. He didn’t tell us anything,’ the former Chiefs and Saints star told The Athletic’s Dianna Russini on their Scoop City podcast. ‘He said he’s 41 and in a serious relationship. I want to know who he’s in a relationship with more than anything.
‘He’s almost become like this pop icon celebrity that we’re just like talking about. You came on the Pat McAfee show to say nothing; to tell us your side of the story about the Jets, to tell us the story about how you met with Mike Tomlin, to tell us the story about you met with Brian Daboll and he has a great mind, and Kevin O’Connell you had a 17-year relationship with him… I get that.
‘You’re trying to control the narrative and applaud, clap, like… way to go. I just don’t understand why he said he’s going to play for $10million which is clearly not the fact. He might play for $10m for Minnesota, but Minnesota doesn’t want him.
‘All this tells me is that he’s trying to capture in and control back the narrative when the Steelers, they might want him, but he’s not signed there.
‘What’s happening? When is this going to happen? How much longer are you going to string teams along? Because eventually these teams are going to have to know what’s happening.’
‘He said nothing Diana,’ Daniel added. ‘That was my thing. We knew retirement was [potentially] gonna be the case for him. We’ve all said that. You’re telling us nothing that we’ve heard and it’s just an interesting way to get the messaging out.’
Rodgers was far from тιԍнт-lipped, however, about his bitter Jets exit.
The legendary quarterback took aim at Aaron Glenn after claiming he flew to New York for talks with the team’s new head coach, only to be told in a 15-minute meeting that he was surplus to requirements.
The Super Bowl winner says Rodgers didn’t give fans what they wanted to hear on the show
The 41-year-old is still yet to decide whether to play on for at least another season or retire
Rodgers did take aim at New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn for how he handled his exit
‘I was shocked because.. I flew halfway across the country and you could have told me this on the phone,’ he fumed.
But Daniel instead argued: ‘I agree that probably could have been done over text, but this happens a lot. They wanted to give you the respect of telling you we don’t want you to your face.
‘I played under Aaron Glenn and [he was] one of the greatest leaders of men that I’ve ever seen. He does things the right way.
‘This happens all the time, they fly players out to say, “Hey you’re not doing this.” I don’t see the huge deal in it.
‘I think he probably wanted a little bit of the superstar treatment that comes along with his name.’