The war of words between Aaron Rodgers and Ryan Clark has reached a boiling point this week, but the bad blood actually dates back well over a decade. In fact, Clark once openly admitted that on live television.
Clark has been extremely critical of Rodgers in recent weeks as the New York Jets limp to the finish line of Rodgers’ first full season with the team. During his Tuesday appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Rodgers issued a so-called PSA in which he encouraged those who criticize him to state their vaccination status first. While Rodgers did not mention Clark by name, the 41-year-old made reference to the personal brand logo Clark wears.
"I just got a PSA..
Just a quick reminder" ~ @AaronRodgers12 #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/6dI6X86Hwp
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 17, 2024
Rodgers was obviously implying that Clark — like many others — has an issue with Rodgers because of the four-time NFL MVP’s stance on the COVID-19 vaccine.
Clark responded the following day with a nearly five-minute video ripping Rodgers. Clark said Rodgers uses the vaccination talk to hide behind the quarterback’s poor play. The former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back also called Rodgers a hypocrite.
I won’t let Aaron Rodgers’ vax smoke screen distract me from the stench of the tape. He’s entitled to his opinion, but to say you aren’t concerned with what we say is a lie… I mean it’s the reason we are here.
It’s a continuation of his hypocrisy that started with criticizing… pic.twitter.com/Ko0ogDFHnQ
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) December 18, 2024
The drama between Rodgers and Clark is not new In an old video that surfaced from ESPN’s “Get Up,” Clark openly spoke about how he can’t stand Rodgers since Rodgers taunted Clark when the Green Bay Packers beat the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV back in 2011. Rodgers threw a touchdown pass over Clark in that game that Clark just barely missed breaking up.
“It wasn’t that (the pass) was just this much out of my reach. It’s that he had the gumption, the gall, the audacity at my lowest of times to stick salt in the wound,” Clark said. “And so, listen, do I love the player? Yes. Do I want to fist-fight the person? Yes, and I ain’t scared. I don’t care.”
This is all personal to Ryan Clark. Why does Ryan go after Aaron Rodgers so hard all the time? Aaron knows this is why, that’s why he’s calling him out.
And Clark pretending he’s just like Pat McAfee is a joke. Pat got an audience without any help. Clark was installed at ESPN. pic.twitter.com/F2cpJ7UfDL
— T.J. Moe (@TJMoe28) December 19, 2024
You can see the play:
He still mad. pic.twitter.com/UNka84MWNf
— Loveless (@LovelessEnt) December 14, 2024
Rodgers has openly said in the past that he believes certain members of the media have it out for him because of the way he handled the pandemic. It seems like he is right that Clark has a personal vendetta against him, but it appears to stem from Clark’s playing days.
Whatever the case, we should not expect Clark and Rodgers to be sharing a dinner together this holiday season.
