New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has denied reports that he pushed conspiracy theories surrounding the Sandy Hook shooting.
In a post to his X profile, Rodgers, 40, called what happened at Sandy Hook Elementary School a ‘tragedy’.
The football star said: ”I am not and have never been of the opinion that the events did not take place.
‘Again, I hope that we learn from this and other tragedies to identify the signs that will allow us to prevent unnecessary loss of life.
‘My thoughts and prayers continue to remain with the families affected along with the entire Sandy Hook community.’
His remarks had come after Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign confirmed he is one of several choices being considered as the presidential candidate’s running mate.
In a post to his X profile, Rodgers, 40, called what happened at Sandy Hook Elementary School a ‘tragedy’
Twenty children were gunned down alongside six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Newtown, Connecticut, on December 14, 2012
Neil Heslin, father of six-year-old Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victim Jesse Lewis, wipes tears as he testifies during a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee
Rodgers’ tweet also came after a CNN report that said Rodgers had in private conversations sharing ‘deranged’ conspiracy theories about the shooting.
Journalist Pamela Brown said she met Rodgers while covering the Kentucky Derby in 2013, who attacked her for working for CNN.
Rodgers is said to have brought up the shooting, which claimed the life of 20 children and six adults, saying it was a government inside job.
In response, the lawyer representing two Sandy Hook parents attack Rodgers for his alleged remarks.
Mark Bankston won $49.3 million from disgraced radio host Alex Jones on behalf of Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, parents of victim Jesse Lewis, in 2022.
Bankston called Rodgers a ‘dumb jock’, ‘defective’, and a ‘slow-witted, gullible person’ who ‘can’t be trusted with important decisions’.
His blistering ‘open letter’ posted to Twitter late on Wednesday night ended by asking Rodgers: ‘Can you please shut the f**k up’.
Bankston began by joking the future Hall of Famer would see his post ‘sandwiched between a tweet claiming the measles vaccine makes children gay and an ad for a cryptocurrency scam’.
Firefighters walk to pay their respects at a makeshift memorial near the school following the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 15, 2012
Rodgers walks off the 10th green on the Spyglass Hill Golf Course during the first round of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am golf tournament Feb. 1, 2024
A woman places flowers at the sign for Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 15, 2012
He wrote that he was not surprised Rodgers believed Sandy Hook conspiracies, as due to his long history of bizarre views, ‘I am quite aware that you are a slow-witted, gullible person’.
‘Sadly, I’d have to live under a rock not to notice the frequency in which the media reports on whatever screwball propaganda you most recently swallowed like a hungry trout confronted with a shiny lure,’ he continued.
‘Being a poor schmuck who latches onto claptrap maybe isn’t the biggest sin in this day and age,
‘But I can’t fathom how on Earth you manufactured the confidence to think you have something useful to offer to any of these discussions.’
Bankston shared the famous Greek instruction ‘know thyself’, telling Rodgers to understand his intellectual limitations.
‘You are a dumb jock. God apparently gave you many talents, but critical thinking is not one of them,’ he wrote.
‘With your immense fortune, there is no reason you can’t hire someone to assess and evaluate basic day-to-day information so you don’t have to. Because you’re not very good at it.’
Steve Wruble stands in silence and thought at the Sandy Hook town sign after shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown, Connecticut, USA. 15th December 2012
Mark Bankston won $49.3 million from disgraced radio host Alex Jones on behalf of Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, parents of victim Jesse Lewis, in 2022
Bankston asks Alex Jones questions about text messages during trial at the Travis County Courthouse
Bankston said he already knew this about Rodgers but was appalled to now discover he was ‘one of those freaks’ claiming Sandy Hook parents were ‘liars and actors’.
He argued this ‘crosses a line you can’t come back from’.
‘It means you can’t be trusted with important decisions. It means nobody benefits from listening to you,’ he continued.
‘It means you’re broken in a fundamental way. It means you’re weak, and you’re desperate to believe what a grifter will happily sell you.
‘It means you’re not a leader and will never be one. You’re not cut out to be an influencer, a role model, or even an amusing iconoclast.
‘Because you’re not eccentric; you’re defective. And that’s not a funny joke.’
Rodgers wrote on Twitter after both the CNN story and Bankston’s post that he was on record in the past calling the shooting an ‘absolute’ tragedy’.
‘I am not and have never been of the opinion that the events did not take place,’ he wrote.
‘Again, I hope that we learn from this and other tragedies to identify the signs that will allow us to prevent unnecessary loss of life.
‘My thoughts and prayers continue to remain with the families affected along with the entire Sandy Hook community.’
Bankston shared the famous Greek instruction ‘know thyself’, telling Rodgers to understand his intellectual limitations
Rodgers (left) with Kennedy (right). Both are prominent vaccine skeptics, with Kennedy prone to pushing conspiracy theories
Bankston was not convinced by Rodgers’ denial.
‘In a rather predictable move, Aaron Rodgers would rather call multiple people liars than apologize and take responsibility for being a freak,’ he wrote.
CNN has another source beyond Brown who was given anonymity for their story, who said several years ago Rodgers claimed: ‘Sandy Hook never happened… All those children never existed. They were all actors.’
When the source brought up grieving parents to Rodgers, they recalled the Jets quarterback saying ‘They’re all making it up. They’re all actors.’
During the conversation with Brown, Rodgers was said to have called the shooting ‘a government inside job’ and the media was ‘intentionally ignoring it’.
Brown questioned Rodgers, providing evidence the Sandy Hook shooting was real. Rodgers retorted with ‘various theories’ that had been disproven ‘numerous times.’
Kennedy will announce his running mate on March 26 in Oakland, California, with some connecting Rodgers’ hometown of Chico and playing college football at Cal for reasons the city was chosen for the announcement.
He is running as an independent in November’s Presidential Election, with Rodgers and former Minnesota governor and professional wrestler Jesse Ventura confirmed as possible vice-presidential picks.