Aaron Rodgers was on an ayahuasca trip when reports first emerged that the New York Jets quarterback was in a contender to become the running mate for Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr, it’s been claimed.

The New York Times reported Tuesday that Kennedy approached both Rodgers and former WWE wrestler Jesse Ventura, an ex-governor of Minnesota, about appearing on his ticket.

But Pat McAfee – whose ESPN show Rodgers regularly appears on during the NFL season – has claimed the quarterback had no idea the news was about to be leaked.

He says Rodgers was on an ayahuasca trip – the psychedelic which ‘changed his life’.

The 40-year-old has become known for his use of obscure treatments including darkness retreats – which saw him spend four days in isolation, without light or luxuries.

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Aaron Rodgers was on an ayahuasca trip in Costa Rica when news broke he could be Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s running mate, says Pat McAfee

McAfee hinted he had spoken to Rodgers in Costa Rica and said he was shocked by the news

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Kennedy is having talks with candidates as he gets closer to announcing a running mate

Speaking on his show on Wednesday, McAfee said: ‘When the news broke on the internet yesterday from the New York Times that RFK Jr. had Aaron Rodgers as one of the finalists for his potential vice-president in his independent presidential run that is currently taking place, the world went.

‘Boy, I did not expect this one. I had no idea this one was going to happen. I started thinking back and you can see how RFK Jr. has really ruffled some feathers in the politics world.

‘We happen to be in the middle of that and I didn’t necessarily love the feathers that were ruffled because I had to be in the middle of a storm.

‘But hey, listen. Aaron Rodgers is a friend of the program, a friend of ours, this is how he feels, he’s one of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of football.

‘So I reached out to sources. From my understanding there is a chance that said person (Rodgers) who has the potential to be future vice-president for an independent president if that was to ever happen, first-time ever in the history of the United States, never really got more than like 4 per cent of votes or something. I’ve done a lot of research.

‘The world found out while that man was in Costa Rica. So whenever that picture is posted, Jordan Poyer and Aaron Rodgers, we can allude now they are down in Costa Rica right now.

‘What are they doing in Costa Rica? We assume they’re going to sit with the medicine and they said you don’t have to go attic and basement if you prepare for this type of thing.

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Dolphins safety Jordan Poyer posted a picture of himself and Rodgers (right) in Costa Rica

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Kennedy has been talking to Rodgers (left) and ex-wrestler and former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura (right) as possible running mates

‘That is a much nicer set-up than I was expecting after hearing stories of the ayahuasca usage down in Costa Rice. They were talking about being in teepees and I’m like “woah, I’m never doing that”. I’ve seen other people doing videos of it and they’re like walking through mud but this seems like a very nice set-up down there.

‘I’m not 100 per cent sure that the quarterback for the New York Jets necessarily knew the New York Times was going to be reporting he’s potentially going to be vice-president.

‘I didn’t get many follow up questions in there because he was in the middle of something but I’m not 100 per cent sure there was a full rollout plan because he would not be in Costa Rica, you would think.’

Rodgers, the longtime Green Bay Packers quarterback who now plays for the Jets, shares Kennedy’s distrust of vaccine mandates and, like Kennedy, is a fixture on anti-establishment podcasts.

Kennedy has focused on getting access to the ballot, an expensive and time-consuming process that he has said will require him to collect more than a million signatures in a state-by-state effort.

Many states require independent candidates to name a running mate before they can seek access to the ballot, a factor driving the early push for Kennedy to make a pick.

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Rodgers (left) with Kennedy (right). Both are prominent vaccine skeptics, with Kennedy prone to pushing conspiracy theories

DailyMail.com exclusively revealed earlier on Wednesday that the Jets are ‘upset’ with Rodgers and say it is ‘ridiculous’ to think he could be campaigning and playing football at the same time.

A source said: ‘Lots of the Jets coaches and players want Aaron to commit to the team and worry about winning the Super Bowl over a chance to be in the White House.

‘Aaron and Robert aren’t going to win but for Aaron to consider helping run the country over playing for the team has many with the Jets all upset because you have to pick one or the other.

‘Aaron can’t be campaigning through the week and then play the Dolphins the following weekend. It is ridiculous.

‘When Aaron is retired he can do whatever the hell he wants, the Jets aren’t paying him not to play, the team has already had to accept and take on his various controversial beliefs and comments and to add a political career to the situation is exactly the distractions the team wants no part of at all.

‘There is only enough leash they can give and offer Aaron, and they want him to be a teammate and not a running mate.’