Jimmy Kimmel's feud with Aaron Rodgers escalated Monday, with the late-night host switching to offense.
Last Tuesday, the former Green Bay Packers quarterback suggested that Kimmel's name might pop up when officials released a batch of court documents listing associates of Jeffrey Epstein. The former financier and convicted sex offender committed suicide in 2019 while awaiting trail on sex trafficking charges.
"There's a lot of people, including Jimmy Kimmel, really hoping that doesn't come out," Rodgers said on "The Pat McAfee Show," which airs on ESPN. "I'll tell you what, if that list comes out, I definitely will be popping some sort of bottle." When the documents did come out, Kimmel's name was not in them.
Kimmel responded to Rodgers' comments on Twitter last week, threatening to take the sidelined Jets player to court. But Monday was the first time since the holiday break that he spoke about the issue on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live."
He dedicated the first seven minutes of his opening monologue to chastising the former Super Bowl winner.
"He thinks because God gave him the ability to throw a ball, he's smarter than everyone else," Kimmel said early Monday evening (despite the show's title, "JKL" tapes roughly five hours before it airs). "The idea that his brain is just average is just unfathomable to him."
The screen then showed a photo of Rodgers in his Green Bay uniform.
"He put on that magic helmet and that 'G' made him a genius," Kimmel said. "Aaron got two 'A's' on his report card. They were both in the word 'Aaron.'"
Kimmel's material was laced with frustration at both Rodgers and groups that accuse their political opponents of pedophilia without any evidence. He also reiterated that he and his family have received threats from those who falsely believe that "I'm meeting up with Tom Hanks and Oprah at Shakey's once a week to eat pizza and drink the blood of children."
Kimmel had a response for those who have pointed out that he makes a living from telling jokes about others.
"We say a lot of things on this show. We don't make up lies," he said. "We have team of people that sort through reputable sources before I make a joke. When I do get something wrong, which happens on rare occasion, I apologize for it, which is what Aaron Rodgers should do, which is what a decent person would do. But I bet he won't. if he does, you know what I'll do? I'll accept his apology and move on."
ESPN senior vice president Mike Foss has apologized for airing "a dumb and factually inaccurate joke." ESPN and ABC are both owned by Disney.
Rodgers is expected to address the issue Tuesday when he returns to "The Pat McAfee Show."
