Aaron Rodgers eyed as running mate for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.،
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers is on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s shortlist to be his running mate on an independent presidential ticket in November, The New York Times reported Tuesday.
Kennedy confirmed to the newspaper that Rodgers and former Minnesota governor and professional wrestler Jesse Ventura were under consideration. Rodgers has spoken with Kennedy “pretty continuously” over the past month, according to Kennedy. It's unclear whether either of them was formally offered the job, although the Times said both “welcomed the offer.”
Rodgers, 40, a four-time NFL MVP and former Super Bowl champion with the Green Bay Packers, is an ardent Kennedy supporter, frequently mentioning him in interviews. Kennedy, who announced in October that he would run as an independent, will announce his vice presidential pick in the coming weeks. He approached several other potential candidates, according to the newspaper.
The domain name kennedyrodgers.com was registered last week through hosting provider GoDaddy, the Times reported.
Obviously, life on the campaign trail would pose a major conflict for Rodgers, who said in a recent interview that he hopes to play “two, three, four more years” in the NFL. He is under contract until 2025 and is expected to earn $35 million in salary and bonuses this season, all guaranteed.
The Jets had no comment on the report.
Rodgers spoke excitedly about returning this season for the Jets, especially after the disappointment of 2023. He suffered a torn Achilles on the fourth play of Game 1, ending his season barely after it began.
He has not spoken publicly about running for office, at least not in recent interviews, although he shares similar views with Kennedy on the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccines and health care public.
The Jets franchise is no stranger to presidential politics. Owner Woody Johnson served as former President Donald Trump's ambassador to the United Kingdom from 2017 to 2021. He was recently seen with Trump at a rally after the Republican primary victory in South Carolina.
