Megan Rapinoe’s soccer career has officially come to an end – but not without one last headline-making incident.
The once star forward had to be helped off the pitch just minutes into the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) championship match between her OL Reign and Gotham FC after she tore her achilles in a non-contact injury. During a postgame press conference, Rapinoe proclaimed that her injury proves God does not exist.
On Thursday’s show, Megyn was joined by community activist Carrie Prejean Boller to discuss Rapinoe’s remarks and why they are not sad to see her go.
Rapinoe Retires
Earlier this year, Rapinoe announced she would be retiring from soccer at the end of the NWSL season. Her team, OL Reign, made it all the way to the championship match on Saturday after finishing fourth in the standings during the regular season.
The Seattle-based squad lost 2-1 to Gotham FC, but Rapinoe found herself relegated to the sideline for the majority of the action. She tore her achilles tendon less than six minutes into the final match of her career, going down with a non-contact injury on the grass field of San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium.
In a post-match press conference, Rapinoe framed her injury in a headline-making light. “I’m not a religious person or anything and if there was a God, like, this is proof that there isn’t,” she said. “This is f–ked up. It’s just f–ked up. Six minutes in and I eat my Achilles.” It didn’t take long for the remarks to go viral.
Megyn called Rapinoe’s comments “unbelievable” and victimizing. “Megan Rapinoe is… once again feeling sorry for herself,” she said. “Instead of saying, ‘Gee, I’m sorry that I couldn’t play. I’m sure my team was let down. This is a bummer, but I’ll work to get better.’ She decided to blame the God in whom she does not [believe].”
‘Thrilled’ to See Her Go
In choosing to disparage God and faith, Megyn said the soccer player was disrespecting a portion of her fanbase. “At a minimum, how disrespectful to the millions of fans that she does have who are believers,” she noted. “You’re such an a–hole.”
Prejean Boller called Rapinoe’s remarks “narcissistic,” and she had some advice for the retiree. “She obviously doesn’t know God but wants to blame God,” she shared. “Megan, if you’re listening, why don’t you open your Bible while you’re healing from your [injury]… Why don’t you pray to the God that you don’t believe in, that you’re blaming for your injury?”
While Rapinoe may believe her circumstances reaffirm her apparent atheism, Prejean Boller saw it another way. “I think that is proof that there is a God because he brought you to your knees… when nobody else was around you,” she explained. “So, maybe while you’re resting, you open your Bible and you repent your sins.”
Ultimately, Megyn is relieved to see her go. “She has no respect for the country, for her fans, or for American soccer,” she concluded. “I’m thrilled to see her exit stage left.“
You can check out Megyn’s full interview with Prejean Boller by tuning in to episode 671 on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. And don’t forget that you can catch The Megyn Kelly Show live on SiriusXM’s Triumph (channel 111) weekdays from 12pm to 2pm ET.