GREEN BAY, Wis. -- While the closest Aaron Rodgers figures to come to the presidency is hitting the links with President Barack Obama, some of his followers on Twitter decided to have a little fun with the idea of making him a write-in candidate during Wisconsin's primary Tuesday.
Rodgers, in turn, decided to have a little fun with -- and get a little good-natured revenge on -- Republican candidate John Kasich.
It all started last week, when Kasich tried to make a joke during a GOP town hall in Milwaukee that aired on CNN. An audience member asked Kasich who would be his vice president if he won the nomination. After asking the questioner if she was available for the job, Kasich delivered a rambling answer before adding, "Aaron Rodgers, maybe, if he had a better year next year. We'll see."
Rodgers, a two-time NFL MVP and the league's all-time leader in passer rating, had what was for him a down 2015 statistically after losing No. 1 wide receiver Jordy Nelson to a season-ending knee injury in preseason. Rodgers finished with his worst rating as a starter (92.7), throwing 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions with a career-worst 6.7 yards per attempt.
On Tuesday, as Wisconsinites went to the polls for the primary, some of Rodgers' two million Twitter followers informed him that they planned to write him in on their ballots. Another follower then asked whom Rodgers would tab as his vice president if he became president.
His reply?
Kasich maybe. Depending on how the rest of his year goes. #WINconsin https://t.co/sXd7q8BDsz
— Aaron Rodgers (@AaronRodgers12) April 5, 2016
Considering Rodgers' ability to remember slights, his zinger to Kasich was hardly surprising. He famously kept a rejection letter from a Purdue assistant coach that wished him "good luck with your attempt at a college football career."
That said, Rodgers has not been publicly outspoken politically. He has never stumped for a candidate, as former teammate Charles Woodson did for Obama in 2012 and ex-Packers pass rusher Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila did for GOP candidate Ted Cruz last week. Rodgers even called out another person on Twitter for mistakenly interpreting his one-liner as an endorsement of Kasich.
And while Rodgers said he was flattered last year when President Obama likened his approach to his job to how Rodgers handles pressure in the pocket, his political leanings remain a mystery.
His position on being dissed by presidential candidates, however, is clear.