Aaron Rodgers and Pat McAfee have had a tumultuous week regarding their appearances on the show. After making controversial remarks about Jimmy Kimmel, Rodgers faced extensive criticism but did not apologize and instead discussed cancel culture.

In response to the backlash, McAfee announced on Wednesday that Rodgers would not be appearing on the show until the end of the NFL season. It was clear that ESPN needed to take action to mitigate the damage, and Rodgers’ absence was strongly felt.

However, on Thursday, to the surprise of viewers, Rodgers made an unexpected appearance on the show. This sudden return came one day after McAfee had announced his absence. Interestingly, his appearance had nothing to do with his previous issues involving Jimmy Kimmel or his relationship with ayahuasca.

The reason for Rodgers’ appearance was to pay respect to Bill Belichick. McAfee introduced him as a four-time NFL MVP and Super Bowl champion, as well as the last person Belichick spoke to as the head coach of the New England Patriots after 24 years.

The announcement of Rodgers’ return just a day after his absence had been confirmed was quite shocking. However, given the significance of Belichick’s departure, it was understandable. The greatest head coach of all time stepping away from his team after such a long tenure warranted special coverage.

Moving forward, Rodgers is expected to be absent from the show during the offseason as he takes time to relax and prepare for the next NFL season. Although he made an appearance on Thursday, it seems that “Aaron Rodgers Tuesday” won’t be happening for a while.

McAfee playfully mentioned that there will likely be many people, including himself, who will be happy with this change.