New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has recently opened up about his decision to address rumors regarding his sexuality over a decade ago. In Ian O’Connor’s new biography, “Out of the Darkness: The Mystery of Aaron Rodgers,” the NFL star sheds light on his motivations for confronting the speculation head-on.
Back in 2013, when Rodgers was still with the Green Bay Packers, he famously declared that he “really, really” liked women. This statement came amid swirling rumors about his personal life. Now, Rodgers explains that his frustration stemmed not from the rumors themselves, but from the way they were framed.
“I think I was upset at the framing [of the rumor] because it was meant to shame the idea of being gay, and I have so many friends that are gay in the community,” Rodgers stated in the biography.
The four-time MVP emphasized that his concern was less about public perception of himself and more about the negative connotations associated with the rumors. Rodgers expressed:
“I’m like, ‘Say anything you want about me, but do you understand these people are using this to shame the idea of being gay?’ That’s just disrespectful to all my friends who are in the community who don’t believe that it’s a choice.”
He further added, “They were making it seem like you’re shaming people for being gay, when a lot of them, if you ask them, they didn’t ask for this life. ‘This is who I am.'”
Rodgers’ comments highlight his position as an ally to the LGBTQ+ community. We may not agree with everything he says or does but we appreciate the support. His words serve as a reminder of the ongoing need for respect, understanding, and support for individuals of all sexual orientations in sports and society at large. As the NFL continues to work towards greater inclusivity, voices like Rodgers’ play a crucial role in fostering a more accepting environment for all athletes, regardless of their sexual orientation.
Again, as an alum of a PAC institution, Rodgers remain embarrassing and given his other comments whether ‘we may not agree’ that he’s making imbecilic, not to mention, factually and more importantly scientifically false comments about HIV and AIDS, and other medical issues, and the comments he has made about elections and the other rabbit holes of conspiracy that these people fall into and use to bolster their positions. He doesn’t need the attention, or the highlighted, much less praised, for taking a position, particularly given his age.
If he truly had ‘friends’ in the community, and they were truly friends, that would have become at least somewhat apparent in this day and age of social media. This was a waste of bandwidth when you could have talked about the number of actual community members who spoke at the DNC, for example, among other issues. Or about movies coming out which haven’t been highlighted. Old news from an old hack asking that he be praised is not worth the space.