GREEN BAY, Wis. – Aaron Rodgers is returning to “Jeopardy!” This time, however, the Green Bay Packers quarterback will be the host instead of a competitor.
He revealed on Tuesday that he was invited to host an episode of his favorite game show – in which he appeared on the show’s celebrity edition in 2015.
Rodgers, who is preparing for the NFC division playoff game on Saturday against the Los Angeles Rams, mentioned this for the first time during his weekly appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. He later apologized for spreading the news.
A representative of “Jeopardy! ” Declined to comment and said that no announcements had been made about future guest hosts.
“I may have rushed a little, so I apologize to ‘Jeopardy!’ if they wanted to announce it, “said Rodgers.” I was so excited about the program earlier. It just happened in the last few days, we found out. It is very exciting. It is for the off season. We will be even more excited when that opportunity approaches, but, man, the show has been so special to me over the years.
“It’s been a staple at my home here in Green Bay for the past 16 years – 6 hours watching Alex [Trebek] and trying to get as many questions as possible. “
Trebek, the show’s longtime host, died of cancer at the age of 80 on November 8.
“When the opportunity arose [for ‘Celebrity Jeopardy!’] in 2015, I mean it was a dream come true – it really was – to be there, “said Rodgers.” Meeting Alex was such a special moment and we are all obviously saddened by his death.
“There is this nostalgic connection with certain figures in our life based on our childhood and where we have been and the times we have had those memories, it almost makes these people feel like family, as if you know them.”
Rodgers compared the encounter with Trebek to the first time he met football announcers like Keith Jackson and Dan Fouts, who broadcast one of his college games in Cal, and Pat Summerall and John Madden when he arrived in the NFL.
“We all have so much love and affection, I think, for what [Trebek] it meant that half an hour, those 22 minutes of our lives daily for those of us who were big fans of the show, “said Rodgers.” So being able to be a guest host is very, very special to me, and I can’t wait for the opportunity. “
The Associated Press contributed to this report.