On September 7, 2025, Aaron Rodgers got the chance to face his former team, the New York Jets, in the season opener, and the veteran quarterback reminded everyone that even in his early 40s, he was still far from done. Rodgers finished the game completing 22 of 30 passes for 244 yards and four touchdowns. Soon after, WWE legend Ric Flair took to X and declared Rodgers “The Baddest Man On The Planet Until You Retire!”

Rodgers was 41 back then. Now, entering his 22nd NFL season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, what could potentially be the final year of his career, the conversation around him has naturally shifted toward durability, age, and relevance. So when ESPN analyst Michael Wilbon called the 42-year-old quarterback “irrelevant,” Flair clearly did not appreciate it. Responding on social media, Flair fired back:

“I Am Currently Sitting With Two Doctors- One A Pulmonary Doctor And Another One, A Surgeon. We Are Watching @RealMikeWilbon Crack On @AaronRodgers12. I Don’t Know Why Anyone Would Call Him The Godfather. You Remind Me Of Paul Finebaum- Another Expert Idiot Who Has Never Worn A Jock Strap In Their Life. I Hope Aaron Rodgers Passes For 4,000 Yards And Throws 30 Touchdowns, And Then He Calls You Up On The Phone And Says GFY!”

Wilbon was not necessarily arguing that Rodgers had never been great or that his legacy meant nothing. His frustration was more about the amount of attention Rodgers still receives, particularly from ESPN itself. During an appearance on First Take with Stephen A. Smith, Wilbon explained:

“He’s irrelevant. He’s overstated — and by the way, I’m not talking about his career, no. Aaron Rodgers is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, a great quarterback for years. He’s irrelevant now. What makes him relevant now? This network, talking about him every day, day-in, day-out as if they’re hanging on and waiting for Patrick Mahomes three years ago.

“…So all this breathless waiting on Aaron Rodgers, we’re gonna chronicle it every day. I’m blaming this network, because every time I turn on all of our shows — except one — I hear about Aaron damn Rodgers. It makes it sound like I’m criticizing Aaron Rodgers, I’m not. I’m criticizing us. I’m criticizing ‘breaking news.’ I’m criticizing every day we’ve got to talk about Aaron Rodgers — no we don’t. He’s irrelevant, period.”

Wilbon even compared Rodgers to players like Tom Brady and LeBron James, arguing that Rodgers is no longer performing at the level those stars maintained deep into their 40s. In Wilbon’s eyes, Rodgers is not Brady or LeBron anymore, and that is why he considers him irrelevant.

Part of that argument probably comes from how Rodgers’ career has unfolded over the years. There is no debate that he is a future Hall of Famer. But despite playing more than two decades in the NFL, Rodgers still owns just one Super Bowl ring, which came during the 2010 season with the Green Bay Packers.

Meanwhile, Brady retired with seven Super Bowl titles, including two won in his 40s. Even Peyton Manning finished his career with a Super Bowl victory alongside the Denver Broncos, while John Elway famously closed out his career with back-to-back championships in Denver.

Rodgers is now on his third NFL team and has already hinted that this upcoming season could be his last. Naturally, that creates skepticism about whether he can truly end his career on a high note, which is likely part of why Wilbon labeled him irrelevant in the first place.

At the same time, though, Wilbon also criticized ESPN for constantly keeping Rodgers in the headlines. And that raises a fair counterpoint. The Dallas Cowboys have not won a Super Bowl in nearly three decades, yet they still dominate airtime across sports media. So clearly, a player or franchise does not need recent championships to remain a major talking point. That may also explain why Flair felt compelled to defend Rodgers after Wilbon’s comments.

Flair and Rodgers have actually shared a close bond for several years now. The two reportedly first met back in 2020 at a restaurant when Rodgers was still with the Packers. Since then, Flair has consistently defended the quarterback whenever criticism starts piling up. Last season, after the Steelers beat the Jets in the opener, Flair once again posted a message supporting Rodgers:

“To My Acquaintance @AaronRodgers12, You Kicked Their Ass Today Because You Will Always Be The Baddest Man On The Planet Until You Retire! I Am Honored To Have Met You With Kevin Greene! Tell Everybody Else Who Doubted You To Kiss Ric Flair’s A–! Aaron Rodgers= Bad Man!”

Rodgers is now preparing for his second season in Pittsburgh after leading the Steelers to a division title before their eventual Wild Card exit. Whether he can truly finish his career on a high note remains uncertain. But after publicly taking a shot at Wilbon, Ric Flair at least made one thing very clear: he still fully believes in Aaron Rodgers.

Ric Flair clarified his criticism of Michael Wilbon

Soon after Ric Flair called out Michael Wilbon for taking a shot at Aaron Rodgers, the WWE legend’s comments quickly started gaining traction online. As the reactions poured in, Flair returned to social media to clarify his stance while also praising Rodgers, Stephen A. Smith, and several other ESPN personalities.

“Let Me Clarify- I Didn’t Say I Don’t Respect @RealMikeWilbon. I Just Disagree With His Opinion,” Flair wrote on X. “@Realrclark25, Swagu @mspears96, And @danorlovsky7- They Have Participated In The Sport On A High Level. Everybody Has An Opinion. It’s Not A Lack Of Respect. And FYI- The GREAT @stephenasmith, Who Has The Most Popular Sports Show In The World In My Opinion, Calls @AaronRodgers12 A BAD Man! 4x MVP, I Mean Come On.”

Once again, Flair made it clear how highly he still thinks of Rodgers while pushing back against those questioning the quarterback’s relevance. But at the same time, the reality is that Rodgers is entering what is expected to be the final season of his career.

And while it is fair to say the Steelers are not viewed as the strongest team in their division, Flair has already set the bar high for the veteran quarterback by publicly hoping for a 4,000-yard and 30 touchdowns season. Whether Rodgers can actually reach that mark is something that will unfold once the 2026 season begins. For now, though, the 42-year-old is participating in Steelers OTAs after signing his one-year deal with Pittsburgh.