Aaron Rodgers believes professional athletes shouldn’t pay any mind to President Trump.
Speaking to NFL.com on Tuesday, the Green Bay Packers quarterback sounded off on the recent media spat between fellow sports star LeBron James and America’s commander-in-chief.
Trump called out the NBA icon on Twitter last week after watching an interview he did with CNN’s Don Lemon — in which James accused the president of using sports “to divide us.”
His tweet sparked widespread outrage on social media and countless responses from athletes and celebrities, including Michael Jordan. But Rodgers believes it should’ve just been ignored.
“I think that the more that we give credence to stuff like that, the more it’s gonna live on,” he said.
“I think if we can learn to ignore or not respond to stuff like that — if we can — it takes away the power of statements like that.”
The Super Bowl MVP pointed out how James chose to take the high road, and refused to release a statement on the matter.
“At a time where he’s putting on display his school, which is changing lives, there’s no need,” Rodgers said, calling the decision “absolutely beautiful.”
“You’re just giving attention to that (tweet),” he added. “That’s what they want. So just don’t respond.”
Rodgers went on to commend NFL players who kneel during the national anthem, saying their message is “about equality and something bigger than ourselves.”
“[Critics] missed the point of what this was all about,” he explained. “I don’t know how many times we can say, as a player and as a group, how much we love and support and appreciate the troops, and the opportunities this country allows us. But this is about equality and something bigger than ourselves, and bringing people together, and love and connectedness and equality and social justice, and putting a light on people who deserve to have the attention for their causes and their difficult situations that they’re in. You know, people have their opinion — you shouldn’t do it during the anthem, you shouldn’t do it during this — that’s fine. But let’s not take away from what the real issue is.”
Rodgers noted how many of the athletes taking part in the anthem protests also support other important social issues.
“Well, you know, the good stuff doesn’t get the headlines,” he said. “Especially in the summertime, when there’s no football and the guys are out doing some great stuff — whether it’s free kids’ camps, or putting in time doing volunteer work at various spots, or raising awareness about their own foundations or things that are important to them…Those aren’t getting the attention.”
Trump has repeatedly voiced his disapproval of both the anthem protests and the NFL, claiming they caused the league’s ratings to plummet.
“You know why their ratings are down,” Trump said at a rally last month. “Yes, the flag, but they’re also down because people find politics, in other words hitting Trump, incorrectly, but hitting Trump…They find that to be much tougher, meaner and more interesting than watching a football game. They actually do.”