Last month, the USA men’s hockey team made history by defeating Canada for the first time in 46 years to win an Olympic Gold medal. However, their victory has been marred by controversies unrelated to the game itself. At the center of the issue was FBI Director Kash Patel, and now, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has launched a subtle jab at him for his appearance in the locker room.

“Can we get that one guy out of the locker room, though, and get him working on something else? That’s a bad look. Come on, have some awareness,” Rodgers said during his recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.

Rodgers didn’t mention Patel by name, but the reference wasn’t particularly difficult to connect. His remarks came amid the ongoing criticism surrounding Patel’s appearance in the locker room celebration with the USA men’s hockey team.

Patel was reportedly seen drinking beer and celebrating with Team USA players on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, in Milano Cortina. He also appeared in an Instagram Live video posted by Dylan Larkin during the postgame festivities. But the backlash that followed wasn’t just about the celebration itself.

The controversy escalated after Patel was accused of using federal resources to travel with his girlfriend.

The criticism intensified after he posted photos with the gold-medal-winning team only hours after one of the team’s spokespersons suggested that government resources may have been used for what appeared to be a personal trip.

As the situation unfolded, social media quickly reacted. Many questioned why the FBI director was seen celebrating in a locker room while the agency continues to address pressing issues across the United States.

And now, with Rodgers addressing the situation publicly, the debate has drawn even more attention. On the other hand, Kash Patel had already defended himself for his viral celebration.

Kash Patel defended his viral celebration video

Kash Patel has been under scrutiny for alleged misuse of government resources for quite some time. Just last year, the FBI director faced accusations of using a government Gulfstream jet for personal travel. He reportedly flew to visit his girlfriend, country music singer Alexis Wilkins.

Fast forward to now, and Patel has once again found himself at the center of controversy. This time, the attention stems from his locker room celebration with the USA men’s hockey team following their gold-medal win.

As criticism began to circulate online, Patel addressed the situation directly. He shared a statement on social media defending his presence during the celebration.

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“For the very concerned media – yes, I love America and was extremely humbled when my friends, the newly minted Gold Medal winners on Team USA, invited me into the locker room to celebrate this historic moment with the boys- Greatest country on earth and greatest sport on earth.”

For now, the scrutiny surrounding Patel hasn’t entirely faded. At the same time, federal rules do require the FBI director to reimburse the government for any personal use of official aircraft or other federal resources.

And while Aaron Rodgers has now taken a subtle jab at Patel over the incident, the bigger question is whether the controversy will settle down or continue to gain momentum in the coming days.