CNN’s Pamela Brown Recalls Meeting Aaron Rodgers, Who ‘Was Spewing a Very Disturbing Debunked Conspiracy Theory to Me’

CNN’s Pamela Brown insinuated that New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has always had a penchant for conspiracy theories, going way back, long before Covid was a thing.

While filling in on Tuesday’s The Lead With Jake Tapper, Brown said she remembered Rodgers spouting similar beliefs nearly a decade ago.

“I remember it was, I think, like, nine years ago that I met him, and he knew I was a CNN reporter, and he was spewing a very disturbing debunked conspiracy theory to me,” Brown said. “And that was many years ago! And, clearly, he just continues with that mindset. So, anytime you have Aaron Rodgers on, you gotta be ready to fact-check, apparently.”

Brown’s recollection came as she and media reporter Oliver Darcy discussed Rodgers’ weekly appearance on ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show.

“Rodgers has faced backlash since suggesting last week that [late-night host Jimmy] Kimmel might be listed in the Jeffrey Epstein documents,” Brown said. Kimmel threatened to sue Rodgers for the comment, causing McAfee to apologize the next day and claim that Rodgers was just joking.

During Tuesday’s show, McAfee said that from then on he would fact-check Rodgers on anything he thought might be untrue.

“Rodgers made a brief mention of Kimmel today, [where he doubled] down on debunked conspiracy theories, particularly about Covid and vaccines, raising questions once again about misinformation going unchallenged on a platform that Disney owns,” Brown said.

In a statement, ESPN called Rodgers’ Kimmel gaffe “dumb and factually incorrect.” Disney CEO Bob Iger, however, “has remained silent throughout this entire affair,” Darcy said.

Watch the clip above via CNN.