Aaron Rodgers didn’t shy away from firing a playful shot at his potential opponent in the NFL playoffs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady.
He made a joke regarding Deflategate, something Brady is infamously tied to due to previously playing for the New England Patriots.
Rodgers and his Green Bay Packers will play in an NFC Divisional matchup on Saturday, with the Buccaneers QB scheduled to play a game on Sunday. Depending on the results, the two NFL stars could soon be facing off.
Aaron Rodgers makes Deflategate joke about Tom Brady
Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers are known as legends when it comes to all-time great quarterbacks. They’re both three-time NFL MVPs, have numerous Pro Bowl selections, and many statistical achievements. However, Brady has racked up seven Super Bowl championships compared to just one for Rodgers.
Brady, 44, is also linked to an infamous scandal called Deflategate, which occurred during his time with the New England Patriots.
That has been the basis of many jokes and call-outs towards TB12 and the Pats over the years. The 38-year-old Aaron Rodgers mentioned it jokingly during his interview with Canadian network SportsNet this past Wednesday.
He participated in their game of Drone Jeopardy since Rodgers was among guest hosts for the popular answer and question game show. SportsNet’s Drone Jeopardy involved Rodgers tossing footballs at drones hovering in the air, which represented the dollar amounts of Jeopardy clues.
“This is too firm for the Patriots,” Rodgers joked after someone handed him a football to throw at the drones.
Shots may have been fired with that remark as the two teams could meet in the NFL postseason within the next week.
What is the Deflategate scandal?
Deflategate refers to the scandal and investigation that made headlines back in 2015. It came about when Tom Brady was accused of ordering team personnel to deliberately deflate footballs for use in the New England Patriots AFC Championship Game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Brady denied any sort of wrongdoing in the incident, saying at a 2015 press conference that he “didn’t alter the ball in any way” and would “never do anything outside of the rules of play.”
The ensuing investigation ended with the Patriots getting fined $1 million and having to forfeit two draft picks for 2016. Brady was also suspended for four games, which he served at the start of the team’s 2016 season.
He’s since moved on to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and despite winning another Super Bowl with his new team last year, it seems Deflategate will always manage to follow him.
However, Aaron Rodger’s recent “shots” towards Brady could serve as motivation too. If both their teams win their NFL playoff games this coming weekend, they’ll meet in the NFC Championship Game on January 30, with the winner advancing to the Super Bowl.
That may give Brady a chance to “air out” any differences with Rodgers on the football field.