The Green Bay Packers quarterback was recently outspoken about a feature devoted to him on CBS’ 60 Minutes. Rodgers’ life on and off the field was documented recently on the news magazine program, and the reigning MVP felt a little jilted upon seeing the final product.
“When you open up your life for four months and allow them to have access to your family and your friends and events, it’s always interesting to see what comes out,” Rodgers told ESPN Milwaukee in early November after the feature ran on Nov. 4. “I just felt like the editing of the piece could have been done in a way that was maybe a lot more respectful of myself.”
Rodgers was also bummed out that CBS decided not to air any footage of Rodgers’ work with the MACC Fund, which raises money for childhood cancer research, saying it was “disappointing” the foundation didn’t make the cut.
The quarterback was firing away at CBS again on Wednesday, saying that 60 Minutes cut part of his interview a certain way to take Rodgers’ answers about bounty-related questions out of context.
“I wouldn’t put a whole lot of weight into that story,” he said on a conference call Wednesday. “It was cut for their purposes, their agenda, and most of the answers were either just portions of a bigger answer or probably not even for the question that was asked. So, I’m not even going to touch that one.”
That answer apparently pushed CBS over the edge.
The Journal Sentinel reports that the network has responded to Rodgers’ criticism, and they’ve done so with some pretty pointed remarks. CBS news chairman and executive producer of 60 Minutes Jeff Fager took the honor.
“Aaron Rodgers was never taken out of context and most anybody portrayed as he was on 60 Minutes would have been flattered by the story. It was fair and accurate and it was obvious we got it right when we reported that he tends to be overly sensitive.”
An unedited transcript of Rodgers’ comments in regard to bounties and physical play was also voluntarily given up by CBS.
