Shane Gillis Roasts Bill Belichick and Aaron Rodgers at 2025 ESPYs

Shane Gillis took the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on July 16, 2025, delivering a monologue that left no shortage of laughter and raised eyebrows. The comedian, known for his bold humor, didn’t hold back as he poked fun at Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson, highlighting their 48-year age difference.

“Shohei is a once in a generation talent,” Gillis remarked, referencing the baseball star's former interpreter's gambling scandal. “No one has been able to do what he does at so many positions: pitcher, hitter and bookie. A bookie is what Bill Belichick reads to his girlfriend before bedtime.” The audience chuckled as he continued, “They read The Very Horny Caterpillar, The Little Engine That Could But Needed a Pill Fist, and of course the classic Goodnight Boobs.”

After eliciting laughter, Gillis quickly clarified his intentions. “First off he’s 73 years old and he’s dating a hot 24-year-old and people are criticizing him. What happened to this country?” he questioned. “We used to be a great country. He won six Super Bowls. He’s dating a hot 24-year-old. Maybe if you guys won six Super Bowls you wouldn’t be sitting next to a fat ugly dog wife.” The mixed reactions from the crowd prompted Gillis to later admit he might have overstepped with that line.

But Belichick and Hudson weren’t the only targets of Gillis’ humor. He also took aim at Aaron Rodgers, addressing the quarterback's controversial stance on the COVID-19 vaccine. “Aaron Rodgers did not take the vaccine because he thought it would be bad for him and then he joined the New York Jets,” he quipped. “Maybe he wasn’t right about everything.”

As his monologue wrapped up, Gillis turned the humor back on himself. “Well I can see a lot of you do not like me and that’s OK,” he joked. “That’s it for me. That went about as well as we all thought it was going to go.”

ESPN had announced in June that Gillis would host the 2025 awards show for the first time. “Shane is not only one of the top comedians today but also a huge sports fan, which made him an easy choice to host the ESPYs,” said Craig Lazarus, ESPN vice president and ESPYs executive producer. “We are thrilled to work with him to create an entertaining show celebrating this year’s best moments in sports.”

Gillis expressed his excitement about the event, stating, “I’m excited to be at the ESPYs this year. I like sports, so this should be a good time.” Earlier in the week, he provided a glimpse into his preparations for hosting.

“I’m excited about it,” he shared during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! “I’ve still got a lot of work to do. I’ve got to figure it out.” He also noted how this experience differed from his usual performances. “I’ve never done a thing where it’s somebody else writing jokes, and they hired writers and they’re like, ‘Here’s the jokes,’ and they’re self-deprecating for me,” he explained. “So I’ll be at home and I’ll get an email and it’s like, ‘Hey, I’m Shane, I’m hosting the 33rd ESPY Awards, I’m a big, fat dumbass.’ And you’re like, ‘Wait, who wrote this? Which one of you guys wrote that one? I’m not saying that.’”