UFC 302 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, was a star-studded affair. Crowds gathered to witness the highly anticipated lightweight championship bout between Islam Makhachev and former champion Dustin Poirier. Interestingly, among the notable attendees was New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who found himself at the center of a viral moment involving none other than former President Donald Trump.
Advertisement
Despite Trump receiving an ovation from the crowd as he made his way through the arena, shaking hands with fans and VIPs, Aaron Rodgers appeared to have no interest in greeting the former POTUS. As Trump passed by, the Jets star remained firmly seated alongside his Packers teammate Marcedes Lewis, seemingly refusing to shake the former President’s hand.
However, Rodgers’ decision to snub Trump has sparked a firestorm of reactions on social media, with fans expressing a diverse range of opinions.
Some praised the quarterback for standing by his support for independent presidential candidate and conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Notably, with whom Rodgers was even rumored to be considered as a potential running mate.
“He supports RFK Jr.,” one fan commented, while another added, “Best thing Rodgers has done in years.”
He supports RFK Jr.
— Deep State David (@dmp267) June 2, 2024
On the other hand, others were less than thrilled with Rodgers’ apparent snub of the former President. “THAT’S surprising! I woulda thought Rodgers would be h**ping his leg!” one user quipped, while another chimed in, “Doesn’t want to come anywhere near the vaccine.”
Aaron Rodgers? Are you sure? He is anti-vaxx, far-right Jerk. He probably didn’t react in time
— Mario (@PawlowskiMario) June 2, 2024
Wash up QB
— Russell (@ruskythemuscle) June 2, 2024
Best thing Rodgers has done in years.
— John Handem Piette (@JohnHPiette) June 2, 2024
Doesn’t want to come anywhere near the vaccine
— GroundChuck (@BlueJock) June 2, 2024
THAT’S surprising! I woulda thought Rodger’s would be humping his leg!
— Mark Mitchell ™ (@EMRendering) June 2, 2024
The criticism didn’t stop there, with some fans questioning Rodgers’ motives altogether. “Wash up QB,” one comment read. Another user exclaimed, “Aaron Rodgers? Are you sure? He is anti-vaxx, far-right Jerk. He probably didn’t react in time.”
While it’s unclear if Donald Trump spotted Rodgers during the encounter, one clip circulating on social media appears to show the former President making a face as he walked past the New York Jets quarterback, suggesting he may have been aware of the perceived snub.
Why Did Aaron Rodgers Choose Not to Be RFK Jr.’s Vice President Candidate?
Aaron Rodgers’ recent revelation about his potential foray into politics has shed light on the difficult choice he faced — football or the prospect of serving as Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s running mate in the upcoming presidential election.
While Rodgers admitted that the opportunity to shift gears into the political arena was “a real thing,” his unwavering love for the game ultimately prevailed.
“I love Bobby. We had a couple of really nice conversations,” Rodgers said during Jets OTAs. “But there were really two options: It was retire and be his VP or keep playing. And I wanted to keep playing.”
Aaron Rodgers says he had two options – retire and be RFK’s vice president or keep playing football
He wanted to keep playing football pic.twitter.com/tSKDSupxzn
— Jets Videos (@snyjets) May 21, 2024
It remains unclear whether Rodgers received a formal offer from the Kennedy campaign. Still, they did confirm in March that the quarterback, sharing Kennedy’s anti-vaccine stance, was on the shortlist of potential VP candidates.
However, weeks after Rodgers’ name was floated, Kennedy selected California lawyer and philanthropist Nicole Shanahan as his running mate.