Aaron Rodgers Criticizes FBI Director's Locker Room Visit

Quarterback says Kash Patel's presence was "a bad look" despite past presidents and VPs doing the same.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers criticized FBI Director Kash Patel for visiting the U.S. Olympic hockey team's locker room, calling it "a bad look." However, past presidents and vice presidents, including Barack Obama and Kamala Harris, have also visited sports team locker rooms without similar criticism from athletes like Rodgers.

Why it matters

Rodgers' comments highlight a potential partisan divide in how politicians' interactions with sports teams are perceived, with some arguing that locker room visits are inappropriate regardless of political affiliation.

The details

During an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers said "Can we get that one guy out of the locker room though and get him working on something else? That's a bad look. Have some awareness." This was in reference to FBI Director Kash Patel visiting the U.S. Olympic hockey team's locker room. However, past presidents like Lyndon B. Johnson and Barack Obama, as well as Vice President Kamala Harris, have all made similar locker room visits without facing criticism from athletes.

  • In 1969, former president Lyndon Baines Johnson watched Texas beat Arkansas and celebrated with the Longhorns.
  • In 2014, then-President Barack Obama entered the locker room of the MLB All-Star Game teams.
  • During her four years in the Biden administration, Vice President Kamala Harris visited various teams' locker rooms during March Madness.

The players

Aaron Rodgers

An NFL quarterback who criticized FBI Director Kash Patel for visiting the U.S. Olympic hockey team's locker room.

Kash Patel

The current FBI Director who visited the U.S. Olympic hockey team's locker room, drawing criticism from Rodgers.

Lyndon B. Johnson

A former U.S. president who visited the Texas Longhorns' locker room in 1969 after their win over Arkansas.

Barack Obama

A former U.S. president who visited men's basketball team locker rooms during the Olympics and the MLB All-Star Game.

Kamala Harris

The current U.S. vice president who visited various teams' locker rooms during March Madness and to celebrate Brittney Griner's return to the WNBA.

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What they’re saying

“Can we get that one guy out of the locker room though and get him working on something else? That's a bad look. Have some awareness.”

— Aaron Rodgers, NFL Quarterback (Pat McAfee Show)

The takeaway

Rodgers' criticism of Patel's locker room visit highlights a potential partisan divide in how politicians' interactions with sports teams are perceived, with some arguing that such visits are inappropriate regardless of political affiliation, despite past presidents and VPs engaging in similar behavior without facing backlash.