Danica Patrick has officially picked a side in the ongoing clash between Aaron Rodgers and Dr. Anthony Fauci – and it's not the doctor's.
The former NASCAR and IndyCar driver didn't hold back when asked about the feud, labeling Fauci with a crude expletive. Her blunt comment adds another layer to a story that has already captured the sports world's attention.
It all started when Rodgers, now the Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback, appeared on The Pat McAfee Show this week and unloaded on Fauci. The 42-year-old signal-caller called the former White House COVID-19 adviser an "absolute coward" for pleading the Fifth Amendment during a congressional hearing earlier this summer.
"I'm gonna plead the 5th. Like that absolute coward Tony Fauci. Absolute coward. Are you kidding me? What are you scared of Tony? I thought you were science?" Rodgers said.
This isn't the first time Rodgers has taken aim at Fauci. The quarterback has been a vocal critic of the government's pandemic response, and his own vaccination status became a major storyline during the 2021 season. After initially telling reporters he had been "immunized," it later emerged that he had not received the COVID-19 vaccine. Rodgers has consistently denied misleading anyone, insisting his choice of words was accurate.
"First of all, I didn't lie in the initial press conference," Rodgers said at the time. "During that time, it was a witch hunt that was going on across the league, where everybody in the media was so concerned about who was vaccinated and who wasn't and what that meant and who was being selfish and who would talk about it, what it meant if they said it's a personal decision and they shouldn't have to disclose their own medical information."
He added, "And at the time, my plan was to say that I have been immunized. It wasn't some sort of ruse or lie. It was the truth, and I'll get into the whole immunization in a second. But had there been a follow-up to my statement that I've been immunized, I would have responded with this: I would have said, 'Look, I'm not some sort of anti-vax, flat-Earther. I am somebody who's a critical thinker.'"
Now, with Fauci facing renewed scrutiny, Rodgers seems to feel vindicated. But Fauci's attorney, David Schertler, fired back this week, telling The Athletic, "Aaron Rodgers doesn't know what he's talking about. He should stick to football."
Patrick's support for her ex-boyfriend might come as a surprise given their reportedly rocky split, but she's clearly not afraid to voice her opinion. The two may have gone their separate ways, but they're apparently on the same page when it comes to Fauci.
Rodgers has also been in the headlines for accusing ESPN of burying a scandal involving reporter Dianna Russini, and his fiery McAfee appearance has drawn reactions from Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy. Meanwhile, Patrick has been making waves herself, with recent beach photos sparking fan concern over her intense workout regimen.
As the feud continues to simmer, one thing is clear: Danica Patrick is Team Rodgers, and she's not afraid to say it.
