Aaron Rodgers blasts Donald Trump's leadership, says he enabled government overreach during the pandemic
Aaron Rodgers expressed skepticism toward Trump's actions as president (Getty Images)
In a surprising twist that merges NFL headlines with political theater, former President
Donald Trump
used a campaign-style event in Braddock, Pennsylvania to heap praise on Pittsburgh Steelers backup quarterback Mason Rudolph—while subtly sidelining free agent Aaron Rodgers in the process.
Donald Trump publicly backs
Mason Rudolph
over Aaron Rodgers, sparking NFL and political firestorm
Donald Trump's comments came during a speech announcing Nippon Steel's acquisition of U.S. Steel. But the former president quickly veered off-topic to spotlight Rudolph, calling him a potential starting quarterback for the Steelers despite Rodgers' availability and experience.
'I happen to think a really good quarterback is a man named Mason Rudolph,' Trump said. 'I think he's going to get a big shot. He's tall, he's handsome, he's got a great arm, and I have a feeling he's going to be the guy.'
The endorsement was more than just praise—it was an unmistakable signal in the ongoing narrative around Rodgers, who remains unsigned despite a statistically strong 2024 season with the Jets, throwing for 3,897 yards and a 28-11 TD-INT ratio.
Aaron Rodgers responds to Donald Trump history
The Trump-Rodgers relationship has been anything but predictable. While Rodgers was once floated as a potential VP pick for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., he has expressed skepticism toward Trump's actions as president—particularly around COVID-19 management.
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'Trump, okay, Trump's an outsider, all the rhetoric, we're going to drain a swamp and go after the corruption. And I don't think a lot happened,' Rodgers said in a 2024 episode of the Look Into It podcast. 'What I fault him for is Tony Fauci… he let Fauci stay in charge and shut the country down.'
The comments highlight Rodgers' independence from party loyalty—and may also explain why Trump opted to spotlight Rudolph, whose media presence is quieter and who has remained out of political debates.
Rudolph addresses QB noise: 'That's nothing new to me'
With Trump's public backing now added to the mix, Mason Rudolph finds himself in the national spotlight. The longtime Steelers backup, who went 1-4 in five starts with the Titans last season, isn't letting the headlines distract him.
'That's nothing new to me. There's been constant noise,' Rudolph said. 'That is the nature of the NFL. So I am used to that for a long time.'
Also Read:
Donald Trump calls Mason Rudolph 'handsome' and says the Steelers quarterback is 'gonna be the guy'
Whether Trump's endorsement changes anything for the Steelers' quarterback plans remains to be seen—but it certainly adds political weight to Pittsburgh's upcoming decisions.
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