Jimmy Kimmel Threatens Court Action Against Aaron Rodgers After Quarterback Suggests Ties to Jeffrey Epstein

Host Jimmy Kimmel speaks onstage during the 95th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Calif., on March 12, 2023. Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Television host Jimmy Kimmel has suggested he may take legal action against New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers after the athlete suggested the former has ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Mr. Kimmel took to X, formerly Twitter, on Jan. 2, where he wrote: “Dear [expletive] for the record, I’ve not met, flown with, visited, or had any contact whatsoever with Epstein, nor will you find my name on any ‘list’ other than the clearly-phony nonsense that soft-brained wackos like yourself can’t seem to distinguish from reality.”

“Your reckless words put my family in danger. Keep it up and we will debate the facts further in court,” he concluded.

While the TV host did not name Mr. Rodgers, he re-posted a video of the athlete during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” earlier on Tuesday.

During that appearance, Mr. Rodgers insinuated that the late-night host had a relationship with late sex offender Mr. Epstein ahead of the release of a list of high-profile individuals who were reportedly associated with him.

In December, U.S. District Judge Loretta Preska ruled that the identities of 156 people, including associates of Mr. Epstein, will be disclosed in previously redacted documents in the near future.

The ruling came in a case brought against Mr. Epstein’s associate and convicted teen sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2022.

Virginia Giuffre, also known as Virginia Roberts, who has said she was abused by Mr. Epstein and some of his associates, bought the case.

‘Tin Foil Hatter’

Mr. Epstein, 66, was found dead in a New York federal jail cell on Aug. 10, 2019, while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges; he had pleaded guilty to sex crimes in 2008 for soliciting a minor for prostitution in Florida. His death was ruled a suicide by hanging.

“That’s supposed to be coming out soon. There’s a lot of people, including, Jimmy Kimmel, are really hoping that doesn’t come out,” Mr. Rodgers said of the list.

“I’ll tell you what, if that list comes out, I definitely will be popping some sort of bottle,” he added.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) of the New York Jets talks to reporters after training camp at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center in Florham Park, N.J., on July 26, 2023. Rich Schultz/Getty Images

Responding to Mr. Rodgers’s comments on the show, host McAfee interjected to explain that the athlete appeared to be responding to a joke Mr. Kimmel made in March about a previous appearance by Mr. Rodgers on “The Pat McAfee Show.”

Mr. Kimmel had referred to the sportsman as a “tin foil hatter” after the former suggested that U.S. government disclosures regarding alleged UFOs were meant to serve as a distraction from the list of Mr. Epstein’s associates.

“Might be time to revisit that concussion protocol,” Mr. Kimmel joked at the time.

Mr. McAfee’s show airs on ESPN, which is under the Disney umbrella with ABC.

Mr. Kimmel also hosts his late-night program on ABC.

The Epoch Times has contacted an ESPN spokesperson for comment.

According to Judge Preska’s December order, the individuals to be named in the previously redacted list of associates of Mr. Epstein include some of his former employees as well as journalists and witnesses, some of whom have never before been identified as being associated with him.