OAKLAND — The quarterback wasn’t there. No point out of his title throughout two hours. Possibly there was no want.
The mere prospect of a pairing had already served its goal — driving information cycles, stirring hypothesis, drumming up intrigue round a longshot bid for the White Home by an outsider intent on defying political norms. However Aaron Rodgers working for Vice President of america?
This not solely defied political norms, it strained credulity.
It was all however inconceivable to examine Rodgers balancing the pains of his day job as quarterback of the New York Jets with a high-stakes political marketing campaign, significantly this fall, when the center of the NFL’s common season collides straight with Election Day. Nonetheless, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., impartial candidate for president and a member of America’s most well-known political household, insisted earlier this month that Rodgers, a good friend of his, was amongst these on the high of his listing of potential working mates.
Rodgers by no means publicly denied or dismissed his candidacy — he “welcomed the overture,” in line with The New York Instances — furthering, for a couple of days no less than, the notion {that a} 40-year-old NFL quarterback and future Professional Soccer Corridor of Famer might take a break from shouldering the hopes of the Jets’ season to journey throughout the nation and marketing campaign, meet with voters and maybe even take part in a vice presidential debate. Or, someway, do each concurrently.
The prospect of a Kennedy-Rodgers ticket — scant because it was from the start — was formally put to relaxation Tuesday in Oakland, the place Kennedy named lawyer and philanthropist Nicole Shanahan his working mate. Shanahan, previously married to Google co-founder Sergey Brin, is a brand new face within the political enviornment. She lately offered $4 million to assist pay for a Kennedy advert that aired throughout the Tremendous Bowl.
Rodgers match the mould Kennedy was in search of out. “Our attraction is to younger folks,” Kennedy stated in a latest interview, and Rodgers “is battle-tested as a result of he’s been hammered by the press” for his “skepticism in direction of authority.”
It’s debatable how a lot juice Rodgers would have added to Kennedy’s candidacy. In a couple of quick years, he’s grow to be among the many most polarizing figures in sports activities, and even a few of Kennedy’s most ardent backers, a few of whom shuffled into the Henry J. Kaiser Middle for the Arts on Tuesday for the announcement, weren’t shopping for the notion that Rodgers was ever a critical candidate for VP.
“A publicity stunt,” Zack Nelson referred to as it. The 26-year-old enterprise proprietor from Seattle flew down for the occasion and stated he has donated closely to Kennedy’s marketing campaign, citing Kennedy’s embrace of cryptocurrency. “All you must do is say ‘Aaron Rodgers is likely to be our VP’ and other people will chunk,” Nelson continued. “I believe it was a extremely sensible PR play to get consideration. And it labored.”
From a close-by seat, Ryan Sarnataro, a 72-year-old who drove 85 miles in from Santa Cruz Tuesday, stated the potential of Rodgers becoming a member of the ticket left him wholly unimpressed. “I’m not loopy about folks with no {qualifications} being a heartbeat from the presidency,” he stated.
Journey Derham, a local New Yorker, by no means took it significantly. “Didn’t imagine it,” he stated. “It’d simply be lots. It’d throw a lot confusion into the race.”
Some, like Nicole Fuller, a lifelong Bay Space resident, appeared surprised to be taught that Rodgers was even a candidate for the job. “I didn’t know he was being thought of — I had no clue,” she stated. “However perhaps he would’ve introduced in that widespread really feel to this, virtually like Taylor Swift? We’d want it. We’re sort of hoping for a miracle right here.”
A supporter cheers throughout Robert F. Kennedy’s occasion saying Nicole Shanahan as his working mate on Tuesday. (Josh Edelson / AFP by way of Getty Pictures)
Sue Peters, a neuroscientist from New York who flew in for Tuesday’s announcement, held no reservations about any of Kennedy’s potential working mates, together with Rodgers. “I belief (Kennedy),” she stated. “I felt like (former president Donald) Trump broke the mould and opened the trail for Bobby to run for president as somebody who doesn’t have a historical past in politics. I don’t suppose a vice chairman must have a historical past in politics, both.”
One Kennedy backer — who admitted he was new to politics — snuck away from his spot backstage earlier than the announcement to seize a couple of “KENNEDY 24” hats within the foyer. For a couple of moments, he stood and scanned the life-sized murals that embellished the doorway, a collage of images spanning Kennedy’s life. One confirmed the candidate, perhaps 4 or 5 years previous, cradled in his father’s arms. Earlier than Tuesday, Metta World Peace (previously Ron Artest) didn’t know Robert F. Kennedy Sr. was making his personal presidential run when he was assassinated in 1968.
Like Rodgers, the 20-year NBA veteran and former champ has grow to be pleasant with Kennedy over the previous yr. He flew in from Los Angeles Tuesday morning to point out his assist, talking 3 times on the podium, revving up the group earlier than Kennedy and Shanahan took the stage.
Requested about Rodgers, whom he doesn’t know personally, World Peace weighed the opportunity of an expert athlete working for vice chairman throughout the center of a season. “Man, that will’ve been actually attention-grabbing,” he lastly stated. “And actually cool.”
How did we get right here, a world by which a star-quarterback-turned-part-time-provocateur finally ends up on the VP shortlist of a candidate who occurs to be John F. Kennedy’s nephew?
One thing has shifted for Rodgers over the previous few years, no less than publicly: he’s misplaced curiosity in biting his tongue or in providing up the canned soundbites so {many professional} athletes — particularly franchise quarterbacks — lean on when pressed in entrance of microphones or cameras. The way in which Rodgers has put it: he merely grew bored with sitting again, staying quiet and permitting others to form the narrative round him.
He wished his say.
Rodgers has repeatedly courted controversy — at instances seemingly welcoming, even relishing the firestorm that ensues; in different moments rising annoyed at how he believes he’s being portrayed. He’s dabbled in conspiracy theories on “The Pat McAfee Present,” a comfortable pulpit the place Rodgers is aware of he gained’t be challenged by the hosts.
Not even when, as occurred in January, Rodgers falsely alleged that TV host Jimmy Kimmel’s title might be amongst these revealed in courtroom paperwork linked to convicted intercourse trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Kimmel threatened to sue. Rodgers tried to stroll again the feedback however by no means apologized.
“I’m not calling him (a pedophile) and neither do you have to,” Rodgers stated on McAfee’s present later. “Let me make that crystal clear. I don’t take any pleasure or pleasure out of anyone doing that. So don’t try this in my title. Don’t try this in any respect. These are critical accusations meant for people who find themselves on that listing.”
He lately went on X to disclaim a CNN report that he had shared conspiracy theories concerning the Sandy Hook bloodbath, his solely public feedback since he was reported as a possible working mate of Kennedy’s, whom he’s stated he’ll assist this fall if Kennedy reaches the poll. Like Kennedy, Rodgers has repeatedly expressed a skepticism towards vaccines, at one level mocking Travis Kelce as “Mr. Pfizer” after the Chiefs All-Professional tight finish starred in a industrial advocating for COVID and flu vaccines. Rodgers later challenged Kelce and Dr. Anthony Fauci to affix him and Kennedy for a debate on the subject.
Rodgers misled reporters about his personal vaccine standing earlier than the 2020 season and later examined constructive for COVID. He was fined by the Packers for not following league protocols. “I understand I’m within the crosshairs of the woke mob proper now,” he stated on McAfee’s present quickly thereafter, “so earlier than my closing nail will get put in my cancel tradition casket, I believe I wish to set the document straight on so most of the blatant lies which might be on the market about any individual who’s a essential thinker.”
It’s what Rodgers typically calls himself.
“I’m not, you understand, some kind of anti-vax flat-earther,” he advised McAfee in 2020. “I’m any individual who’s a essential thinker.”
Rodgers has stated his outspokenness has value him associates, teammates and sponsors. Turbulence has trailed him like a shadow, each on the sector and off. There was his messy, years-long divorce with the Packers final spring, which led him to New York, the place he was welcomed as a savior. His first season with the Jets ended within the first quarter of the primary recreation. The crew stumbled.
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On a latest look on Joe Rogan’s podcast, Rodgers identified that he’s “much less revered now” than he was a couple of years in the past. The dialog then shifted again to the COVID controversy. “You stand for one thing, you stand courageously for what you imagine in, or the alternative aspect of that’s saying nothing and being a coward,” Rodgers stated. “I wasn’t keen to do this.
“I don’t need what I went by means of to get brushed over,” he continued. “Additionally, I don’t give a f—. I’ve been capable of make a ton of cash taking part in a sport I’m actually good at, and I’m grateful for that. I’ve a platform. Some folks need you to close up and throw a soccer, and that’s effective, however I believe there needs to be a sure voice of motive …”
That’s what attracted Kennedy to Rodgers within the first place.
“Aaron Rodgers’ intuition to decide on service to others over his personal monetary curiosity, his dedication to America’s bodily and psychological well being, his work to legalize remedies of veterans and trauma survivors with psychedelic therapies, and his constant document of holding the braveness of his convictions encourage and transfer me,” Amaryllis Fox, Kennedy’s marketing campaign supervisor, wrote on X earlier this month.
Becoming, then, that when The New York Instances broke the story that he was amongst Kennedy’s high decisions for VP, Rodgers was in Costa Rica on his annual ayahuasca retreat.
There’s no proof the Jets knew this was a chance. One can solely think about how swiftly jaws hit the ground within the crew’s facility when “Rodgers being thought of for Kennedy’s VP choose” scrolled throughout the ticker. At this week’s NFL league conferences in Orlando — earlier than Kennedy formally dominated Rodgers out by naming Shanahan his working mate — the crew’s high executives appeared to downplay the likelihood that their star quarterback was contemplating a short-term, longshot enterprise into politics.
“I didn’t take (it) very significantly,” basic supervisor Joe Douglas stated.
Did Rodgers attain out to the crew in any respect, informing them that he and Kennedy have spoken?
“He didn’t must,” coach Robert Saleh stated.
Soccer, then. Douglas has spent the majority of his offseason capital shoring up the Jets’ leaky offensive line, which, partially, led to Rodgers’ premature Achilles harm final September. “I hope he looks like he has some candidates for Director of Homeland Safety (and) Secretary of the Protection now that we’ve fortified the o-line,” the GM joked.
Rodgers, proprietor Woody Johnson professed, is “roaring to go,” and is on schedule to return.
That’s good for the Jets. They’ve dodged one distraction. However figuring out this quarterback, extra are on the way in which.
Zack Rosenblatt contributed to this report.
(Picture of Rodgers: Ryan Kang / Getty Pictures)
