Jimmy Kimmel strikes back at Aaron Rodgers after he speculates comedian is on Epstein list

Jimmy Kimmel is slamming Aaron Rodgers after the football player accused the "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" host of being one of more than 150 names on Jeffrey Epstein's list of associates.

Rodgers, 40, in a discussion of the list during a Tuesday appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," accused the comedian by name of being one of the people noted on the to-be-released document.

"It's supposed to be coming out soon," Rodgers said of the list. "There's a lot of people, including Jimmy Kimmel, that are really hoping that doesn't come out."

Jimmy Kimmel: Epstein relationship doesn't exist, comedian says

Kimmel, 56, fired back Tuesday night on X, formerly Twitter, saying the New York Jets player is one of many "soft-brained wackos."

"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," the late-night host tweeted, tagging Rodgers.

Rodgers, who is a regular guest on the ESPN sports talk show, has not yet commented.

USA TODAY has reached out to reps for Kimmel, Rodgers and the New York Jets for comment.

Kimmel has previously discussed Rodgers on his late-night show, including the football player's conspiracy theory that U.S. government UFO disclosures were a distraction from Epstein revelations, where he called Rodgers a "tin foil hatter," and his use of alternative treatments for COVID-19.

Pat McAfee apologizes for Aaron Rodgers’ claims

McAfee began Wednesday's program by addressing Kimmel's response to Rodgers' claims the previous day.

His statement was "certainly, probably," meant to be a joke, McAfee said – a "joke that can then become something that is obviously a very serious allegation that then leads to a massive overnight story."

"I could see exactly why Jimmy Kimmel felt the way he felt, especially with his position," he added. "We obviously don't like the fact that we're associated with anything negative ever. We like our show to be an uplifting one, a happy one, a fun one. But it's because we ... try to make light of everything, some things obviously people get very pissed off about, especially when they're that serious allegations. So we apologize for being a part of it."

McAfee said that he "can't wait to hear what Aaron has to say about it. Hopefully, those two will just be able to settle it, you know? Not court-wise, but be able to chit chat, move along."

What is the Epstein list?

Hundreds of sealed court filings about Epstein, the accused sex trafficker who hanged himself inside a jail cell in 2019, are expected to include the names of prominent people like Prince Andrew and former U.S. President Bill Clinton.

Clinton has not been accused of anything illegal. One of Epstein's victims said in court papers that she met the ex-president on Epstein's private island in the Caribbean; Clinton has denied ever visiting the island.

The "list" is expected to include more than 150 names found in court documents, which could illuminate which prominent figures continued to associate with Epstein and his former girlfriend and convicted accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell after he was convicted in 2008 in Palm Beach, Florida, of procuring sex from a minor. The sealed documents were part of a defamation lawsuit brought by one of their accusers, Virginia Giuffre.

Jeffrey Epstein's list is coming out: Who will be named?

Several boldfaced names have been linked to Epstein since federal agents arrested the hedge fund manager on sex trafficking charges in July 2019, including billionaire Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers. A Gates spokesman told the Wall Street Journal that the two met only "for philanthropic purposes, which he regrets." Summers has said through a spokesman that he "deeply regrets," mixing with Epstein.

No one besides Epstein and Maxwell has been accused of criminal wrongdoing in the case.

Giuffre claimed that, while she was a teenager, Epstein and Maxwell pressured her into sexual encounters with powerful men, including Prince Andrew. Giuffre reached an out-of-court settlement with Andrew, who denied her allegations. She also made accusations against prominent attorney Alan Dershowitz, but dropped them in late 2022.

Epstein killed himself by hanging while awaiting trial at a federal detention center in Manhattan. Maxwell, the jet-setting socialite turned convicted sex trafficker, is serving a 20-year federal prison for helping financier Epstein sexually abuse underage girls.

More than 150 names linked to Jeffrey Epstein to be revealed in Ghislaine Maxwell lawsuit

What time will Epstein list be released?

A U.S. district judge ordered the unsealing of documents after Jan. 1. The release could take place anytime in the coming days or weeks.

Contributing: David Jackson and KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY

If you are a survivor of sexual assault, RAINN offers support through the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800-656-HOPE and online.rainn.org).

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pat McAfee addresses Aaron Rodgers' Epstein claims about Jimmy Kimmel