Stephen A. Smith blasts Aaron Rodgers over vaccine 'deceit' and Ryan Clark feud

ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith has unequivocally taken the side of Ryan Clark in his ongoing feud with New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, choosing his colleague over the weekly on-air guest on their airwaves. 

The feud has played out all week, starting with Rodgers calling out those in the media for ‘asinine’ takes. Clark responded with a thorough takedown of all-things Rodgers, which has provoked the trading of insults thereafter. 

Smith clarified two mistakes he believes Rodgers has made during this vendetta. First, he’s coming at someone who has previously played in the NFL, not just someone on a television screen. 

His second mistake, per Smith, was implying those that are vaccinated shouldn’t be listened to, like Clark. Rodgers’ implication comes three years after he lied to the NFL about his own vaccination status. 

Smith has rubbed elbows with both men in his career and interjected himself into this situation which did not involve him previously.  

‘My man, ball and win because the reality is, as great as you are, you haven’t won a Super Bowl since 2010. You haven’t been to the Super Bowl since 2010,’ Smith said of Rodgers. ‘And now your career is going in the wrong direction based on wins and losses.’

The feud has played out all week, starting with Rodgers calling out the media for ‘asinine’ takes

Smith clarified two mistakes he believes Rodgers has made during this vendetta against Clark

‘You don’t want to go at Ryan Clark. That is not a winnable situation for you, Aaron Rodgers. In fact, it’s almost as bad of a situation as it has been as you going out on Sundays in a Jets uniform.’ 

Rodgers has used his weekly paid appearance on ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ to attack Clark, with McAfee licensing the show to ESPN instead of being a network employee. Clark has fired back at the attacks with jabs at Rodgers of his own in a continuing cycle of vitriol.

‘This isn’t Aaron Rodgers clapping at a reporter. This is Aaron Rodgers coming at a former contemporary, a member of the club, a member of the clique, an NFL player, a Super Bowl champion, you apply, you qualify,’ Smith said. ‘Aaron Rodgers can’t come at Ryan Clark the way he would come at somebody like me who has never played football.’

A third mistake Rodgers has made was thinking Clark took a shot at McAfee too for paying Rodgers to appear on his show. 

Smith believes it was that Rodgers needed to be paid to appear on his friend’s show with the ESPN publicity, instead of making it pro bono work with his huge NFL contract. 

‘The brother has high integrity,’ Smith said of Clark. ‘He’s very principled and he’s not backing up from anybody. So when Aaron Rodgers wants to come at him, you can’t come at him for his credentials as a football player other than he wasn’t you.’

‘You can’t come at him for his integrity or his professionalism as someone in the media.’