Meeting with reporters this week, Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers said that the possibility of becoming Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s running mate was “a real thing.” Rodgers also said he had two options: retire and run or keep playing and don’t.
In a discussion with Adam Schein of SiriusXM Mad Dog Radio, Rodgers has shifted the narrative. Possibly because he has realized that his explanation from Tuesday created the very clear impression that he was thinking about leaving the Jets high and dry and without a veteran quarterback.
“I think I was just trying to clear that story up,” Rodgers said. “It was never like playing quarterback and also campaigning at the same time. There was only two options. One of the two options was to not play and go down the route of thinking about being the V.P. Now obviously I was on the short list for him. The other option was the option that since September 12th was the only one in my mind, that I was playing football. So, you know, I had to listen to Bobby because I respect him and I appreciate his friendship. But the entire time, since September 12th, my focus has been playing. . . . In the end, I was always playing.”
If that’s the case — if he was never going to run and always going to play — why not say so on X? Why not tell the Jets?
The truth might be that, while he never was going to do run, he went along with the possibility in order to give Kennedy a free P.R. boost to his campaign. For Rodgers, the V.P. story will make it less jarring when he runs for office.
If he runs for office.
Frankly, I’m not sure he wants the scrutiny that goes along with seeking major public office. Mainly because he seems to want no scrutiny of any kind. And because, when scrutiny comes, he tries to shift his story toward something that will entail less scrutiny.