Anthony Fauci’s attorney had a chance to answer Aaron Rodgers’ blistering criticism this week. Instead, he offered a response that was as brief as it was dismissive.
In an email to The Athletic on Tuesday, attorney David Schertler responded to the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback’s remarks by writing, “Aaron Rodgers doesn’t know what he’s talking about. He should stick to football.”
That was the entirety of the rebuttal.
The comment came one day after Rodgers sharply criticized Fauci during a live appearance on ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show from Steelers training camp in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.
When asked about his own career, Rodgers opened with a joke before pivoting to Fauci.
“I’m gonna plead the Fifth,” Rodgers said.
“Like that absolute coward, Tony Fauci,” he continued. “Absolute coward. Are you kidding me? You got a pardon and you plead it over 100 times?”
Rodgers was referring to Fauci’s recent appearance before Sen. Rand Paul’s Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. During the hearing, Fauci repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination while answering questions from lawmakers.
The testimony came despite Fauci having previously received a preemptive presidential pardon during the final day of Joe Biden’s administration.
Rodgers did not stop there.
Later in the interview, one of the show’s regulars encouraged him to revisit the subject.
“Go back to Fauci?” Rodgers replied. “Go back to the coward Tony Fauci who’s ‘science,’ who’s spending the entire time writing in his diary about how fun it is to be famous? You gotta be kidding me.”
The quarterback was referencing portions of Fauci’s pandemic diary that were recently released by Sen. Paul’s committee. The documents have drawn attention because they contain personal reflections from Fauci during the COVID-19 pandemic, including observations about his public profile alongside discussions of his work.
Fauci served as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases from 1984 until 2022. During the COVID pandemic, he became the federal government’s most recognizable public health official, advocating measures such as masking, lockdowns, and vaccination campaigns.
Rodgers, meanwhile, became one of the most scrutinized athletes of the pandemic era because of his vaccination status. The issue dominated headlines for months, and he frequently found himself at the center of political and cultural debates extending far beyond football. He also drew attention for referring to Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce as “Mr. Pfizer,” a reference to Kelce’s advertisements for the pharmaceutical company.
Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy was asked Tuesday about Rodgers’ comments and made clear that his priority remains the football team.
“These are grown men. They all have different opinions. There’s no question about that,” McCarthy told reporters, according to The Athletic. “But at the end of the day, my job is to keep it about football, keep the focus on winning. That’s why we’re here. We have a good locker room. We have a player council that’s in place. We had our second meeting yesterday. We’re in a good spot.”
