Former Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers issued a tweet on Thursday rebutting a CNN report regarding his beliefs about the Sandy Hook shooting.

CNN reported that journalist Pamela Brown met Rodgers while she was covering the 2013 Kentucky Derby for CNN.  She claims that Rodgers criticized the media for not reporting what he considered important news items. During that discussion, she said that Rodgers said that the Sandy Hook shooting was perpetrated by the government and the media was not reporting all aspects.

The CNN report claims Brown was one of two people with whom Rodgers shared his beliefs regarding Sandy Hook. CNN characterized the beliefs Rodgers shared in that discussion as “deranged conspiracy theories.”

The shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012 led to the deaths of 20 children and six adults.

Rodgers has not been active on social media recently, but he did issue a message on X (Twitter) on Thursday in response to that report, saying that he never claimed that the shooting incident at Sandy Hook did not take place and calling the shooting a “tragedy.”:

It read:

“As I’m on the record saying in the past, what happened in Sandy Hook was an absolute tragedy. 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.”

It finished with a heart imogi

CNN’s response to Rodgers’ response included this excerpt:

While Rodgers did not deny the content of those conversations, he said in a social media post that he has “never been of the opinion that the events did not take place.”

Rodgers has made some controversial opinions known publicly in recent years, so he has become a target for such stories.  He was in the news on Wednesday after the New York Times reported that independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. approached Rodgers about possibly being his vice presidential running mate.  There was no confirmation as to whether Rodgers was offered the vice presidential spot or whether Rodgers would accept the offer if made.