Furious New York Jets are ‘angry’ that Aaron Rodgers could trade in his NFL career for a vice presidency, amid reports that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wants the quarterback to be his running mate
The New York Jets are “dismayed” by reports that Aaron Rodgers is set to leave his NFL career behind and become the running mate of independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The New York Times reported this on Tuesday that Kennedy approached both Rodgers and former WWE wrestler Jesse Ventura, an ex-governor of Minnesota, about appearing on his ticket.
Kennedy has focused on gaining access to the ballot, an expensive and time-consuming process that he says will require collecting more than a million signatures per state.
Many states require independent candidates to name a running mate before they can gain access to the ballot, a factor that prompted Kennedy to make a choice.
Rodgers, the longtime Green Bay Packers quarterback who now plays for the Jets, shares Kennedy’s distrust of vaccine mandates and, like Kennedy, is a fixture on anti-establishment podcasts.
The New York Jets are upset by reports that Aaron Rodgers is set to leave his NFL career behind and become Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s running mate.
Kennedy is in talks with candidates as he gets closer to announcing a running mate
Rodgers is expected to play for the New York Jets this fall, which would disrupt the campaign. The general election will take place on Tuesday, November 5
It comes after Rodgers made just four appearances in his first season with the Jets after suffering a nasty Achilles injury in his first game last September.
DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal that the Jets are ‘angry’ with Rodgers, saying it is ‘ridiculous’ to think he could campaign and play football at the same time.
A source said, “Many Jets coaches and players want Aaron to commit to the team and worry about winning the Super Bowl instead of a shot at getting into the White House.
“Aaron and Robert aren’t going to win, but when Aaron considers helping rule the country by playing for the team, many on the Jets are completely upset because you have to choose between one or the other.
“Aaron can’t campaign all week and play the Dolphins the following weekend. It is ridiculous.
“If Aaron is retired he can do whatever he wants, the Jets are not paying him not to play, the team has already had to accept and adopt his various controversial beliefs and comments and add a political career to the situation. is exactly the distraction that the team doesn’t want to be a part of at all.
“There’s only enough leash they can give and offer to Aaron, and they want him to be a teammate and not a running mate.”
Kennedy has spoken to Rodgers (left) and ex-wrestler and former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura (right) as possible running mates
Rodgers (left) with Kennedy (right). Both are prominent vaccine skeptics, with Kennedy prone to pushing conspiracy theories
It’s unclear whether Rodgers or Ventura are seriously considering this.
Both choices are unconventional — like Kennedy’s run to begin with — and could add some star power to the scion’s independent campaign.
However, choosing Rodgers or Ventura — and not someone who has recently held elected office — could show voters that Kennedy is not serious about winning.
Ventura served only one term as governor and decided not to run for re-election, and that was 21 years ago.
Democrats have already criticized Kennedy for running for president, including members of the candidate’s famous family.
Kennedy began his campaign last year as a Democrat and then announced in October that he would instead run as an independent — meaning he wouldn’t have to compete with President Joe Biden in the Democratic primaries to get on the ballot for the general elections to appear.
Democrats fear that Kennedy will play a spoiler for Biden, giving Trump his second term.
Polls show Kennedy picking voters from both parties’ candidates — though this would likely hurt Biden more than Trump, in part because Biden trails the former president in some surveys.