Earlier this week, Green Bay Packers star quarterback and reigning NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers tested positive for COVID-19, which will force him to miss Sunday’s matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. That wasn’t the main storyline, however, as Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported that Rodgers was unvaccinated despite him saying that he had been “immunized” earlier in the year.
This raises questions about if Rodgers had been following COVID-19 protocols. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Rodgers is “furious” that his vaccination status was leaked.
Rodgers clearly was not interested in letting the world know he was unvaccinated, as he used the word “immunized” when asked if he had gotten the shot this summer. While misleading, it wasn’t necessarily a lie. According to NFL.com, Rodgers “received a homeopathic treatment from his personal doctor to raise his antibody levels.” He then asked the NFLPA to review his status, but the league did not grant him an exemption.
Interestingly enough, if Rodgers’ antibody levels were high enough he could qualify as fully vaccinated with just one shot, according to NFL.com. However, he refused to get one. Now, the NFL is reviewing whether Rodgers violated any COVID-19 protocols this year, and the Packers could be subject to punishment.
Rodgers’ vaccination status was going to “leak” one way or another. And it will be interesting to see what he says the next time he meets with reporters. With Rodgers out on Sunday, it will be Jordan Love leading the Packers offense onto the field vs. one of the worst defenses in the NFL. Love was drafted last year to serve as the franchise quarterback in waiting, and he will now get his chance to show what he’s capable of.
