Aaron Rodgers rebukes those who are critical of his work ethic: 'Absolute (expletive)'

It was Tuesday on the "Pat McAfee Show," which meant another candid appearance from Aaron Rodgers. 

Emphasis on candid.

Asked by a producer whether he notices a particular person commenting about the Green Bay Packers quarterback and his effort, Rodgers did not hold back. 

"It's absolute (expletive) to give people a platform who have no idea what they're talking about as far as my mental state and my focus, my work habits – people who are not in my life or I've not had communication with them or not in the locker room," Rodgers said. "That's just (expletive). It's so ridiculous that people can get a platform to do this." 

Rodgers then noted the media's propensity for "clicks and hits and views" and that the most "outlandish" opinions are the ones that receive attention. 

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"I'm always going to give a reminder, 'Listen to the source on some of these things.' It's often the same people, in the same tired rhetoric," Rodgers said. "I was just surprised after Week 1 there was such a story out there.

"What's crazy to me is to let one storyline, by a person who has no contact with me, zero relationship, that becomes some sort of narrative that's out there, that now I somehow don't care about ball because of my Zen attitude during the offseason. That's the (expletive) I was talking about (Monday) night.

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"The truth and fact should not be replaced by conjecture, ill-founded conjecture. When it is, I'm thankful for this opportunity and my (press conferences) to be able to say, 'Hey look, just think about who's saying this.'" 

The individual Rodgers likely alluded to was his former teammate and Packers tight end Jermichael Finley, who criticized Rodgers' work ethic during an appearance on ESPN's morning radio show with Keyshawn Johnson and Max Kellerman last week.

"It's the National Football League," Finley said. "Each offseason you've got to work like it's your last season.

"I just don't see a work ethic in Aaron Rodgers that I have in previous years."

Following Rodgers' monologue, which lasted about three minutes and McAfee described as a "state of the union," the amped-up host punctuated: 

"Wooo! That was a big (expletive) you. I enjoyed that." 

Follow Chris Bumbaca on Twitter @BOOMbaca.