Mike Francesa Accuses NFL Of Using ‘Hard Knocks’ As An Aaron Rodgers Propaganda Machine

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Making the media rounds at Barstool Sports earlier this week — apparently, because his son is an intern there, according to the New York Post — legendary NYC radio host Mike Francesa railed against the latest season of Hard Knocks.

Speaking on one of Barstool’s many indistinguishable gambling shows Picks Central, Francesa basically accused HBO and the NFL of using the series as a propaganda machine for Aaron Rodgers, saying that it’s been “staged to get him a Nobel Peace Prize.

“That show has been staged to show Aaron — they’ve been trying to get Aaron a Nobel Peace Prize,” the 69-year-old Francesa, who currently hosts The Mike Francesa Podcast with BetRivers Network, said during a recent appearance on Picks Central.

“It’s just ridiculous. They got him [approaching younger players] like Hey, you want to go to lunch, buddy? I mean, shut up. This is so staged it’s ridiculous. What are they trying to get him? He has every award. He doesn’t need need any more awards.”

This weekend, Rodgers will be making his official Jets debut when he suits up for Gang Green for their final preseason game of the summer against the New York Giants.

Then, on Monday, September 11, Rodgers will play in his first-ever regular season game for the New York Jets when the host Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills in the inaugural Monday Night Football game of the 2023-24 season.

It should come as no surprise that Hard Knocks is heavily propping up Rodgers as he’s instantly turned the Jets — previously one of the most moribund, unremarkable franchises in the National Football League — into a headline-grabbing Super Bowl contender.

Prior to the start of the 2023-24 NFL season, the Jets’ betting odds to win the Super Bowl only trail six other teams: the Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, and Dallas Cowboys.