The Office actor Brian Baumgartner took to the defense of his friend Aaron Rodgers in a new interview.

‘He has a really big heart and is very caring,’ Baumgartner, 52, told Us Weekly Thursday of Rodgers. ‘I am proud to say that he’s a friend.’

Baumgartner has been friends with the four-time NFL MVP since summer 2008, when the pair crossed paths at in Lake Tahoe, California an American Century Championship golf tournament.

The Atlanta-born actor, who played the role of Kevin Malone on the NBC hit for nine seasons, later welcomed Rodgers, 41, to his wedding to 2014 to Celeste Ackelson, 42.

‘He has a tremendous heart … he really does,’ Baumgartner – who won a pair of Daytime Emmys in 2007 for his performances on The Office’s webisodes – told Us Weekly Thursday of Rodgers.

Baumgartner, speaking with the magazine, said that the public has an inaccurate perception of the quarterback over past controversies including his anti-vaccine views and partiality toward conspiracy theories.

The Office actor Brian Baumgartner took to the defense of his friend Aaron Rodgers in a new interview. Pictured 2013 in LA 

Baumgartner said of Rodgers (pictured earlier this month in New Jersey), ‘The way he’s misunderstood, I think people tend to think of him as a disgruntled or unhappy person. He’s not that.’

Baumgartner said of Rodgers, ‘The way he’s misunderstood, I think people tend to think of him as a disgruntled or unhappy person. He’s not that’

The Chico, California-born Rodgers was a four-time NFL MVP as the Green Bay Packers starting quarterback for 15 years, winning the Super Bowl in 2011.

He recently wrapped up his first full season for the New York Jets, with the team going 5-12.

Read More The Office reunion! Jenna Fischer, 50, is seen with Brian Baumgartner, 51, and Kate Flannery, 59, for new commercial

Baumgartner pointed out that Rodgers saved his best for last on the field, as he was in attendance at East Rutherford, New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium January 5 to watch Rodgers lead the Jets to a 32-20 victory over the Miami Dolphins with four pᴀssing touchdowns.

Baumgartner said he didn’t ‘know what [Rodgers is] gonna do’ in his gridiron career, but feels the game earlier this month showed he can still turn in elite performances.

‘I will tell you, it was really fun to see that last game against the Dolphins,’ Baumgartner said. ‘I don’t know if “back” is the right word, but it was fun to see him playing at such a high level – to be enjoying it, to be making all the throws, to be scrambling.

‘I’m not going to make excuses. He doesn’t need me to do that for him. But it was very clear that he was injured early in the year. I do wish we had seen a healthier Aaron Rodgers during the first part of the season before things got away.’

Baumgartner said he hopes to see Rodgers continue in his NFL career: ‘If he’s not playing anymore, the league is not as much fun. I certainly would love to see him play more. I don’t know if it’ll happen or where it could happen.’

The Atlanta-born actor played the role of Kevin Malone on The Office for nine seasons, Pictured in 2020 in Pomona, California

Rodgers left the possibility of returning for a 21st season in the league, with the Jets or elsewhere, while appearing on The Pat McAfee Show Thursday.

‘I think everybody understands that it’s going to come down to [the Jets’] GM and coach and myself, and whether we all want to do a dance together – or if it’s not in the cards,’ Rodgers said.

Rodgers said that how the Jets staff their upper positions – the team fired GM Joe Douglas and head coach Robert Saleh during the underwhelming season – will go a long way in determining if he’s back for another year with the franchise.

‘As far as my own decision, I told them I’m going to take some time,’ Rodgers said. ‘They haven’t even made a decision on the GM or a coach yet. 

‘Once that happens, then that’ll take us to the next step which is a conversation, I’m ᴀssuming, with whoever that individual is.’

Rodgers left the possibility of returning for a 21st season in the league, with the Jets or elsewhere, while appearing on The Pat McAfee Show Thursday. Pictured January 5 

Rodgers says he’s anxious to see another famous friend – Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – spar with pols who might try to grill him in his upcoming confirmation hearing for his leadership role at the Department of Health and Human Services

On Thursday’s show, Rodgers said he was anxious to see another famous friend in Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – a nominee from President-elect Donald Trump to head the Department of Health and Human Services – spar with pols who might try to grill him in his upcoming confirmation hearing.

‘Like, please, somebody try and get after him and just watch him absolutely mop the floor with any of these senators,’ Rodgers said. ‘You better come ready senators, come ready and try and see if you can pull one over on my boy Bobby, because Bobby’s f***ing smart, dude.

‘And no notes, off the cuff, can handle his own pretty well, so excited for him to – and honestly so should everybody.’

Rodgers said of Kennedy’s public service aspirations: ‘He just wants to make sure that everything that’s being given to our kids is safe, everything that we’re ingesting on a day-to-day basis is safe, and he’s going to “Make America Healthy Again” or is going to freaking die trying.’