Aaron Rodgers has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs, the team announced Wednesday.
This comes as a shock to Packers fans as Rodgers claimed he was immunized early in the season. “Yeah, I’ve been immunized.” Rodgers said in a press conference on Aug. 26. “There’s guys on the team that haven’t been vaccinated. It’s a personal decision. I’m not going to judge those guys.” He added.
Packers’ coach Matt LaFleur made it clear that he did not want to discuss vaccination statuses. “I’m not going to get into any of our coaches or players vaccination status.” LaFleur said. “It’s the next man up mentality.” He added.
According to the NFL, Rodgers is not vaccinated which is why he was ruled out for Sunday’s game so quickly.
Rodgers Appears on The Pat McAfee Show
Rodgers appeared on the Pat McAfee Show Friday, where he discussed all the recent news surrounding him.
He didn’t mince words when talking about his recent controversy, saying that there is a “witch hunt” going on by the media trying to figure out who is unvaccinated.
“I realize I’m in the crosshairs of the woke mob right now, so before my final nail gets put in my cancel-culture casket, I think I’d like to set the record straight on some of the blatant lies that are out there about myself right now,” Rodgers said.
When referring to his “I’ve been immunized” quote from August, he added “It wasn’t some sort of ruse or lie, it was the truth.”
He summed his feelings up by saying he’s doing what he thinks is best for his body, despite what the NFL or others may think. He finished with “this shouldn’t be a controversy.”
Packer Fans Express Concern
Fans shared their thoughts of Rodgers situation. They have mixed feelings about Rodgers.
“It kind of surprised me.” Packers fan Nick Thoney said. “I thought the rest of the team had avoided catching COVID after it went through our receivers last week.”
When asked about Rodger’s vaccination status, Thoney said “It’s odd to me. I think it was his way of ducking the question, since he never said what he was ‘immunized’ for. I think he could have handled it better.”
Another fan thinks that Rodgers should’ve still followed the NFL’s protocols.
“I guess Rodgers getting something different than a regular vaccine doesn’t surprise me as he always sort of does things in his standards.” Packers fan Nick Barka said. “Once he learned that the medicine he got wouldn’t count as vaccinated, he should’ve worn masks in team grounds and facilities.”
It seems that fans feel like Rodgers misled them and the media by saying “immunized,” but they also still have some respect for him.
What’s Next for Rodgers COVID-19 Protocol
Rodgers is forced to miss Sunday’s game, but he could miss additional time. NFL league protocol states that he must quarantine for 10 days without symptoms and provide two consecutive negative tests before he can be cleared to play.
If everything works out for Rodgers, his earliest available date to return is Saturday Nov. 13, the day before the Packers’ game against the Seattle Seahawks. If Rodgers is healthy, he will be playing that game with no practice the week leading up.
However, that is not the only problem that the Packers and Rodgers face. Since Rodgers has tested positive for COVID-19 and he is unvaccinated, the NFL will likely punish Rodgers for breaking protocols. According to Fox NFL Sunday’s Jay Glazer, the NFL will not suspend Rodgers for any games, but many believe that both the Packers and Rodgers will get hefty fines.
Rodgers will likely be fined, considering he broke league protocols for unvaccinated players. He has been walking around team facilities and doing press conferences without a mask. In addition, he’s appeared in large group settings without proper protective equipment.
For the Packers, the NFL looks at these offenses and places a lot of blame on the team. The Packers could get fined and possibly lose a late-round draft pick. Last year the NFL said they would take away a draft pick from the Raiders and Saints for breaking protocol. Although that ended up not happening, the league has shown they aren’t afraid to use that power in the past.
On a good note, Defensive Coordinator Joe Barry has returned to the team from his positive COVID-19 test. In addition, Wide Receivers Davante Adams and Allen Lazard are back as well, so Jordan Love will have plenty of help in his first NFL start on Sunday.