New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, known for his vocal criticism of the media, seems to have fallen victim to one of his own biggest pet peeves: spreading misinformation. The long-time advocate of “doing your own research” was caught off guard on Tuesday while discussing an inaccurate stat during an appearance on ESPN’s “Pat McAfee Show.”
Rodgers, who turned 40 this year, was talking about Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff, a fellow Cal alumnus. Goff recently led the Lions to a comeback victory over the Houston Texans, and Rodgers marveled at a statistic that seemed too wild to be true—that Goff had thrown four or more interceptions in seven different games, yet won all of them.
“The amazing stat, though, is this a true stat, that he’s done four or more picks seven times and won every single one of those games?” Rodgers asked, clearly astonished by the information.
Pat McAfee, his show’s host, and co-host Boston Connor quickly affirmed the supposed fact. McAfee responded with a simple, “Yes,” while Connor confidently added, “Yep, 7 and 0.” Rodgers, satisfied with the answer, replied, “That’s wild.”
And it certainly was wild—but it was also completely false.
In reality, Goff has only thrown four or more interceptions in a game twice in his career. Including Sunday’s win over the Texans, Goff’s record in such games stands at 1-1, far from the miraculous 7-0 streak that Rodgers and the others believed.
The mix-up left many viewers wondering how Rodgers, McAfee, and Connor became so convinced that Goff was undefeated in games with four or more interceptions. Was it part of an elaborate joke? A conspiracy? Some sort of misinformation campaign?
The answer was much more mundane. It all traced back to Kenneth Cox, a gamer who has built a social media following by teaching others how to play Madden, the popular NFL-inspired video game. Cox had posted the misleading stat on social media as a joke, but it ended up being taken seriously by Rodgers and the McAfee crew.
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To his credit, McAfee was quick to acknowledge the mistake after Cox pointed it out in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. McAfee’s response was short and sheepish: “Oh no.”
However, Rodgers didn’t escape the fallout so easily. Known for his skepticism about the COVID-19 vaccine and his frequent claims of doing his own research on various topics, Rodgers became the target of online criticism and mockery. Many users couldn’t help but point out the irony of his blunder.
“But I’m sure Aaron did ‘his own research’ just like he does on every other issue,” one critic wrote, referring to Rodgers’ habit of challenging mainstream narratives.
“Don’t worry, Pat,” another commenter said. “I’m sure Aaron did his own research on it.”
One fan summed up the situation succinctly: “This is what you get for trusting the ‘do your own research’ guy without doing your own research.”
For someone who has repeatedly accused reporters and the media of spreading misinformation, it was a humbling moment. Rodgers has often prided himself on questioning narratives and encouraging others to be skeptical of mainstream information.
Yet, in this case, he inadvertently spread an incorrect statistic without verifying its accuracy—ironically falling into the same trap he has accused others of setting.
Despite the blunder, Rodgers will be back on the field Sunday as the Jets face the visiting Indianapolis Colts. The Jets, currently sitting at 2-8, are struggling to find their footing this season, and Rodgers’ return to action will be closely watched by fans and critics alike.
Whether or not this latest incident will change Rodgers’ approach to sharing information remains to be seen, but it certainly serves as a reminder of the importance of verifying facts—especially for someone who has long championed the idea of doing so.
The moment has quickly become a talking point among NFL fans, with some taking the opportunity to poke fun at Rodgers and others calling for everyone to be more diligent in fact-checking, regardless of their position or platform.
As Rodgers prepares for his next game, the incident serves as an ironic lesson in the perils of misinformation—even for those who pride themselves on getting it right.
