NFL star Aaron Rodgers will be calling the shots… but not on the football field.
The Green Bay Packers quarterback revealed Tuesday that he will serve as a guest host on ”Jeopardy!” following Alex Trebek’s November death at 80 of pancreatic cancer.
“They’re doing some guest hosting spots, and it’s going to be released pretty soon, but I have the opportunity to be one of those,” Rodgers announced on the ”Pat McAfee Show” on SiriusXM. “I’m excited about that opportunity with ‘Jeopardy!’”
BREAKING NEWS: @AaronRodgers12 is going to guest host Jeopardy #PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/u03VFDVRvO
— 🅿️at McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 12, 2021
Sony, which produces the games show, declined to comment.
The Super Bowl-winning quarterback competed on ”Celebrity Jeopardy!” in 2015. He beat out astronaut Mark Kelly and “Shark Tank” entrepreneur Kevin O’Leary to earn a $50,000 donation to the MACC (Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer) Fund.
Although “my outfit wasn’t the greatest choice,” said Rodgers, speaking fondly about his time on the show, including his love of the beloved host: “One of my idols growing up was Alex Trebek.”
Trebek’s final episode aired Friday, but was taped on Oct. 29, just 10 days before his death Nov. 8.
Following Trebek’s death, Rodgers tweeted that “weeknights will never be the same.” He added, “So many great memories and thankful to have met him.”
On Monday, “Jeopardy!” went on without Trebek as champion. Instead, consulting producer and “Greatest of All Time” winner Ken Jennings stepped up to the podium as the first in a series of interim hosts. (He taped 30 episodes, so will preside over the show for at least six weeks.)
Rodgers was too busy with his day job to tune in after leading the Green Bay Packers to the postseason with a 13-3 record.
“I didn’t see Ken [Monday] night, I was watching some film and checked in on the college football championship as well for a little bit,” he said.
Rodgers will be one of many interim hosts before a permanent selection is made.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Katie Couric taped at least a week’s worth of episodes, in what appears to be a long-term plan to audition permanent hosts on-air.
Sony again declined comment.
Read more at usatoday.com
