Will Aaron Rodgers become the latest quarterback to launch a broadcasting career upon retiring from the NFL? It sounds unlikely for a variety of reasons.
NFL media partners have little interest in pursuing Rodgers as a broadcaster, according to Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports. While there is a belief that Rodgers could be a good broadcaster, networks have concerns about some of his controversial public stances and how he would be perceived by viewers.
As McCarthy puts it, many executives feel Rodgers comes off as “a pompous know-it-all” and would alienate viewers. One anonymous source put it even more bluntly.
“Yes, he could be a great analyst. But he’s insufferable,” the source told McCarthy.
It should be noted that there is no evidence that Rodgers himself would be interested in a broadcasting career even if he did retire. Many ex-quarterbacks of similar stature have gone straight from the field to the broadcast booth in recent years. Tom Brady is the most prominent, while Tony Romo essentially started the trend with his successful transition from player to broadcaster.
Neither Romo nor Brady had anything close to Rodgers’ baggage, however. Other members of the media have made scathing public remarks about the quarterback. Rodgers has also engaged in some public feuds and made controversial comments that networks would not want to be associated with.
Rodgers is still deciding on his playing future, and no decision is thought to be imminent. If he does decide to retire, it sounds unlikely that we will be seeing him on NFL broadcasts anytime soon.
