Aaron Rodgers is noted for his poise, and the Green Bay Packers quarterback avoided a sack in his debut as a guest host on “Jeopardy!”
During Final Jeopardy on Monday’s night’s show, two-time champion Scott Shewfelt was too far behind the leader to win with a correct answer about daytime personalities. So, he decided to have some fun, referencing a key decision late in the Packers’ loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in January’s NFC Championship Game.
“Who wanted to kick that field goal?” Shewfelt wrote.
Someone had to ask, right @AaronRodgers12? pic.twitter.com/UJ9Lt4Y5cM
— Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) April 5, 2021
The reference was to Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur’s decision to kick a field goal on fourth down, with the Packers on Tampa Bay’s 8-yard-line and trailing by eight points with just over two minutes to play. Most observers, including Rodgers, believed LaFleur would go for the touchdown and the game-tying 2-point conversion.
Instead, the Packers kicked a field goal but never got the ball back as Tampa Bay won the game and advanced to Super Bowl LV.
The category for Final Jeopardy was daytime television personalities, and the correct answer was “Who was Fred Rogers?” of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.
Shewfelt knew he could not win, so blitzed Rodgers with his off-the-wall question. Rodgers paused briefly, then chuckled, nodded his head as the audience laughed and said, “That is a great question. Should be correct, but unfortunately for this game today it’s incorrect.”
You saw today's Final Jeopardy! – now here's an exclusive behind-the-scenes chat with @AaronRodgers12' response. pic.twitter.com/AX91ldGtkM
— Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) April 6, 2021
After the Packers’ loss in January, Rodgers made it clear that kicking the field goal was not his decision, NFL.com reported.
“I didn’t have a decision on that one,” Rodgers told reporters after the game. “That wasn’t my decision. I understand the thinking with above two minutes and having all our timeouts.”
“Anytime it doesn’t work out you always regret it, right?” LaFleur told reporters. “It was just the circumstances of having three shots and coming away with no yards, and not only needing the touchdown but the 2-point (conversion).”
While Rodgers said at the time he felt “gutted,” he managed to keep his poise and answer with aplomb.
Rodgers will continue as guest host of “Jeopardy!” until April 16, The Hill reported.
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