Aaron Rodgers has a knack for attracting the bizarre, and he often finds himself caught in strange situations, especially when he ventures beyond football. So, when he sat down for a marathon three-hour conversation with Joe Rogan, it was no surprise that the two veered into head-spinning territory.
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One of the more intriguing topics they discussed was Rodgers’ account of an unusual drone sighting in the skies over New Jersey. According to the New York Jets quarterback, he encountered a silent, military-style drone while driving through his neighborhood last year.
Rodgers recalled spotting it through his car window, flying low and close enough to catch his attention and stir suspicion. The ‘drone’ reportedly created quite a stir locally. Even some of Rodgers’ coaches admitted they’d seen it. Rodgers claimed to Rogan that he had seen several strange aerial objects during his time living in Jersey, but this one stood out.
“I was living in New Jersey last year when the drone stuff was going on. I saw a drone, a military style drone, a silent drone above. It flew right over my car. I was leaning my head out, looking up at it, and it was probably 50 yards or less in the sky, and it flew right over my car,” narrated Rodgers.
“I’d sit in my backyard at night and see a lot of weird shit. That one looked like a military style drone. It was more like the size of this room. Everybody was talking about it,” added the veteran quarterback.
Rogan, as expected, fully invested himself in the story, peppering Rodgers with questions and marveling at the details. But the conversation took an even stranger turn when Rogan speculated that the drone could have interfered with the presidential transition.
He bizarrely suggested that it might have halted the inauguration of Donald Trump and the transfer of power from Kamala Harris, a nonsensical slip that only added to the surreal tone of the exchange.
It’s easy to dismiss Rodgers’ claims as more conspiracy-fueled rambling — something he’s developed a reputation for. But in this case, he wasn’t completely off base.
Throughout November and December last year, residents across New Jersey reported dozens of drone sightings, particularly around sensitive areas. The drones were allegedly spotted hovering near critical infrastructure: the Picatinny Arsenal (a major U.S. military research facility), water reservoirs, power lines, train stations, and even police departments.
While New Jersey’s governor attempted to reassure the public that there was no credible threat, statements from the Chief of Police and a state assemblywoman only added fuel to the fire. No one seemed to know who was operating these drones or what their intent was.
Some suspected foreign involvement — pointing fingers at Iran or China — while others simply grew more paranoid. In response to public pressure, a state representative called on the FBI to investigate, and many residents urged the military to step in and shoot the drones down.
The White House eventually issued a statement, assuring the public that officials were monitoring the situation and had found no immediate threat. After investigating the sightings, authorities concluded that people had likely mistaken legally operated drones flown by hobbyists and law enforcement, along with planes, helicopters, and even stars, for something more sinister.
But that explanation did little to convince the conspiracy-inclined, especially not Rodgers and Rogan, who tend to interpret events through a lens of suspicion and deep mistrust. For them, the mystery remains.
And for football fans, it’s just another strange chapter in the curious saga of Aaron Rodgers.
