Former Super Bowl Champion Declares Jets QB Aaron Rodgers a 'Fraud'

During a recent appearance on 'The Pat McAfee Show,' the New York Jets quarterback wasted no time criticizing modern sports media.

"The 'SportsCenter' of my youth, those guys made highlights so much fun and that's what they showed," Rodgers said, per Ayrton Ostly of USA Today. "Now it's all talk shows and people whose opinions are so important now and they believe they're the celebrities now."

Rodgers further elaborated, saying that, while not every pundit makes sweeping statements, it's vastly different than things were in the 2000s.

"There's a lot of people talking about the game now, both non-former players and former players who are trying to stay relevant fame-wise," Rodgers said. "So the takes and the criticism I think are a lot different than they were maybe in the mid-2000s."

"I'm talking about these experts on TV who nobody remembers what they did in their career. So in order for them to stay relevant, they have to make comments that keep them in the conversation. That wasn't going on in 2008, 2009, that was nonexistent."

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"Now it's all talk shows and people whose opinions are so important now and they believe they're the celebrities now. They're the stars for just being able to talk about sports or give a take about sports, many of which are unfounded or asinine, as we all know."

Naturally, this has prompted a response from members of sports media, most notably ESPN analyst and former Super Bowl Champion Ryan Clark.

"I find it extremely funny that he's saying this on a show with a man, who as great as he was as a punter, is far more famous as a pundit in Pat McAfee," Clark said. "A.J. Hawk, who I felt like was a good player, is now on TV, and he gets to give his thoughts as well."

"My issue with him is you're doing the exact same thing. And the reason you're getting this opportunity to say these asinine things is because someone is paying you who is exactly the same thing that you're now speaking out against."

Clark proceeded to call Rodgers out for his arrogance before declaring the four-time NFL MVP a fraud.

"This dude is a fraud. He's been a fraud. He can throw a football and that's where it stops. Once that talent ends ... so does he. And to sit up there, man, and to be just blatantly hypocritical is funny and sickening at the same time."

While Rodgers isn't wrong that the sports media landscape is correct, Clark is also correct in that Rodgers is a part of the problem, making sweeping and potentially controversial comments for the sake of attention and clicks.

If Rodgers thinks that the sports media landscape should change, he could easily be the person to start making that change happen.

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