Pat McAfee is amazed at the career turnaround Alex Rodriguez had after his PED suspension in 2013 and 2014.
Rodriguez joined McAfee on The Pat McAfee Show Wednesday, and Pat said ARod was a stronger man than he probably would’ve been given how big a fall from grace Rodriguez suffered.
“I would’ve been devastated and broken from that,” McAfee said. “I feel like this is one of the biggest climbs in the court of public opinion’s eyes. Maybe of all time from where you were to now.”
“It might be one of the biggest falls of all time, because I played for the great New York Yankees, for the great George Steinbrenner,” Rodriguez responded. “I was the highest paid player in the game. I played with one of the great icons in Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Petite.”
ARod had to deal with disappointing not only the organization, the league and the fans, but also his family. He said he went through the whole gamut of emotions.
“I felt all those things. Depression, I felt like a pariah,” he said. “I was a first-ballot hall of famer. I was probably that five or six years before I got in trouble. And to think I remember I would send emails and people wouldn’t write back to me. It was terrible!”
But somewhere along the line, ARod said he looked in the mirror and had to just take responsibility for what he did and try to move past it. Ultimately that’s what happened when he made a playing comeback at 41 years old.
“I think when you face reality and you can come back and man up, I was fortunate to get a break,” he said.
Rodriguez never returned to being one of the game’s most popular players. He did see enough of a rebound though that he was able to begin a broadcasting career. He has since become one of the most recognizable faces covering the game. He handles studio work for FOX and co-hosts the Kay-Rod Cast on ESPN.
