Aaron Rodgers has long been famous for making controversial, off-field comments on live television. But his latest appearance on The Pat McAfee Show took things to an entirely new level. During his interview, the Packers quarterback fired shots at Dr. Anthony Fauci, reigniting pandemic-era debates. The latter’s team has fired back with a jab of their own.

“Aaron Rodgers doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” Fauci’s attorney, David Schertler, told The Athletic via an email. “He should stick to football.” 

Fauci recently appeared before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, where he repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment. He refused to answer questions 111 times as lawmakers investigated pandemic-era policies. 

As the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the chief medical advisor to former POTUS Joe Biden, Fauci was the face of the American government’s pandemic response. He even received a preemptive federal pardon from the former President. But during a response to criticism from Republican lawmakers, the doctor claimed that attacks against him could damage the public’s trust in scientific institutions. 

Aaron Rodgers roped Anthony Fauci into a discussion that had nothing to do with the latter. When the quarterback was asked by the show about his decision to retire, he said, “I’m gonna plead the Fifth, like that absolute coward Tony Fauci. Absolute coward. Are you kidding me?

“You got a pardon and you’re in front and you pleaded over a hundred times at the White House. What are you scared of, Tony? … And how much time did the network spend to that? How much time did they spend on my responses every week on my vaccination status? On Taylor and Travis’s wedding. Did they do even a minute? Did they do even a minute on Anthony Fauci?”

For Rodgers, the resentment dates back to his own struggles with COVID-19 during the 2021 NFL season. Ahead of that season, he told the media that he was “immunized” against the pathogen. His words led people to believe that he was actually vaccinated. However, Rodgers tested positive midway through the season, which revealed he wasn’t vaccinated. He relied on alternative medicine, drawing backlash from the community. 

Now, it’s his comments about Fauci that have brought him boatloads of criticism. But the Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t really worried about the controversy. 

Pittsburgh Steelers respond to Aaron Rodgers’ comments on Dr. Anthony Fauci

“Discussions around culture and politics can bring differing perspectives, and our players are entitled to their own personal views,” Steelers spokesperson Burt Lauten said in a statement to The Athletic. “With respect to that, I am certain there are a variety of opinions on many topics within our locker room.” 

Rather than taking a side, the Steelers adopted a neutral stance. They neither defended nor rebuked Rodgers’ comments. But they did emphasize their respect for differing perspectives within the locker room. Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy shared a similar opinion. 

“These are grown men. They all have different opinions. There’s no question about that,” McCarthy told the media as he kept his focus on football. “But at the end of the day, my job is to keep it about football, keep the focus on winning. That’s why we’re here. We have a good locker room. We have a player council that’s in place. We had our second meeting yesterday. We’re in a good spot.” 

That’s what Fauci’s attorney wanted Rodgers to do – ‘stick to football.’ Rodgers’ willingness to cross the line between sports and political controversy remains as prominent as ever. But for now, the Steelers will have to shift their focus to winning games.