The Pittsburgh Steelers have responded after quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ went on a lengthy rant against Dr. Anthony Fauci on ESPN.
“Discussions around culture and politics can bring differing perspectives, and our players are entitled to their own personal views,” Steelers spokesman Burt Lauten told WTAE-TV. “With respect to that, I am certain there are a variety of opinions on many topics within our locker room.”
Rodgers, 42, appeared on The Pat McAfee Show on Monday, August 3, where he blasted Fauci, 85, for repeatedly invoking his fifth amendment rights during a senate hearing on Wednesday, July 29.
“I’m going to plead the fifth like that absolute coward, Tony Fauci,” Rodgers said. “Absolute coward. Yeah. Are you kidding me? You got a pardon, and you pleaded over 100 times at the White House?” (Fauci received a preemptive presidential pardon from former President Joe Biden on January 20, 2025.)
The Steelers quarterback continued, “What are you scared of, Tony? I thought you were the science. I thought you were, ‘I am science,’ and you get up there and you can’t answer a question?”
Rodgers didn’t stop there. He also criticized ESPN and sports media in general for focusing on his own controversial COVID-19 takes, including his refusal to get the safe and effective vaccine, then lying about it.
“How much time did the network spend on that?” he asked. “How much time did they spend on my responses every week, on my vaccination status? On Taylor [Swift] and Travis [Kelce’s] wedding? Did they do even a minute? Did they do even a minute on Tony Fauci? Nah I bet they didn’t.”
Rodgers continued, falsely accusing Fauci of “writing in his diary about how fun it is to be famous.”
“Seriously, what are they going to say about me now?” he asked. “Now you can’t talk about the COVID stuff because obviously it was made, you know, in a lab in China. That’s not even questionable anymore. Tony Fauci is an absolute criminal.” (There is no credible evidence that COVID-19 was created purposefully in a lab.)
Amid continued criticism over his handling of the senate hearing, Fauci’s attorney shared a statement with Us.
“The circumstances surrounding Dr. Fauci’s appearance today before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, pursuant to a subpoena issued by Committee Chairman Rand Paul (R-KY), regrettably made his continued cooperation impossible,” the statement read. “For that reason, on the advice of his legal counsel, Dr. Fauci asserted his right under the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to decline to answer questions.”
The statement continued, “Dr. Fauci devoted his lengthy career to saving millions of lives globally through scientific discovery and sound public health policy. The accusations that Chairman Paul continues to propagate are false and disgraceful, and we will examine all options to hold him accountable.”
