Two days after testing positive for COVID-19 and being dragged through the mud for misleading the public on his vaccination status, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers went on the record to tell his side of the story.
“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 so many of the blatant lies that are out there about myself right now,” Rodgers began on “The Pat McAfee Show.”
In August, Rodgers was asked by a member of the media whether or not he was vaccinated, to which he told the media that he was “immunized.” Most believed that this meant he had received the vaccine, until Rodgers tested positive on Wednesday causing him to miss the Packers upcoming game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
“First of all, I didn’t lie in the initial press conference,” Rodgers said. “During that time, it was a witch hunt that was going on across the league where everybody in the media was so concerned about who was vaccinated and who wasn’t and what that meant … And at the time, my plan was to say that I had been immunized. It wasn’t some sort of ruse or lie. It was the truth.”
Aaron Rodgers just went off on NFL media over their covid obsession and their attacks on him over being unvaccinated. Enjoy: pic.twitter.com/YXvWATWVaj
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) November 5, 2021
Rodgers went on to discuss how he isn’t an “anti-vaxx flat earther,” but a “critical thinker” and that he believes in “bodily autonomy.”
“Not to have to acquiesce to some woke culture or crazed group of individuals who say you have to do something,” Rodgers said. “Health is not a one-size-fits-all for everybody.”
Rodgers said that he learned that he has an allergy to an ingredient in the mRNA vaccines and that he was not comfortable taking the Johnson & Johnson vaccine due to some people having bad reactions to the J&J shot.
He decided to go an alternative route and that the NFL was aware of it. He petitioned the NFL to accept his immunization status and was denied.
When the media found out that Rodgers was unvaccinated, they immediately jumped on the fact that Rodgers was not masked during his press conferences with the media.
Rodgers said that he does not believe that he should have to wear a mask in a room of fully vaccinated individuals.
“Some of the rules, to me, are not based in science at all. They’re based purely in trying to out and shame people, like needing to wear a mask at a podium when every person in the room is vaccinated and wearing a mask – makes no sense to me,” Rodgers said. “If you got vaccinated to protect yourself from a virus that I don’t have as an unvaccinated individual, then why are you worried about anything I could give you?”
“I have followed every single protocol to a T – minus that one I just mentioned which makes absolutely no sense to me.”
"The organization & my teammates knew exactly what my status was.. there was nothing that was hidden. I have followed every single protocol & a lot of the protocols aren't based on science at all" ~@AaronRodgers12#PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/AZ6kjBrBvc
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) November 5, 2021
Rodgers touched on vaccinated teammates testing positive for COVID as well, saying he is just the second non-vaccinated player to test positive.
“It’s pretty evident I tested positive being around a vaccinated individual,” Rodgers said. “That’s the majority of people I spend time with. There’s been dozens of individuals that work at the facility that are vaxxed that have tested positive. So, this idea that it’s the pandemic of the unvaccinated is just a total lie.”
Rodgers then dove into his current treatment of his COVID symptoms, saying that he is following the advice of podcast host Joe Rogan.
“I consulted with a now good friend of mine Joe Rogan, after he got Covid, and I’ve been doing a lot of the stuff that he recommended in his podcasts and on the phone to me,” Rodgers said.
“I’m going to have the best immunity possible now based on the 2.5-million-person study from Israel that the people who get Covid and recover, have the most robust immunity. I’m thankful for people like Joe stepping up and using his voice. I’m thankful for my medical squad and I’m thankful for all the love and support I’ve gotten but I’ve been taking monoclonal antibodies, Ivermectin, zinc, vitamin C and DHCQ. And I feel pretty incredible.”
Aaron Rodgers says he's listening to Joe Rogan's advice on how to battle COVID-19 and he's also taking Ivermectin.
Prepare for media heads to explode. pic.twitter.com/DXjGJrwif6
— David Hookstead (@dhookstead) November 5, 2021
Rodgers also touched on the politicization of the vaccine, saying that “health should not be political.”
“The problem with this is it is so political,” Rodgers said. “And health should not be political. It shouldn’t be that ‘Trump endorsed Ivermectin and HDQ and so, take that s*** off, it doesn’t work.’ In general, we all should have been a little hesitant. When Trump in 2020 was championing these vaccines that were coming so quick, what did the Left say? And I’m talking about every member of the Left. ‘Don’t trust the vaccine. Don’t get the vaccine. You’re gonna die from the vaccine … ’”
“And then what happened? Biden wins and everything flips. Shouldn’t that initially give you a little pause … isn’t this about health and not about politics? And to that point, has any member of the health staff this entire time, got up and actually talked about real health? Have they talked about exercise, a healthy diet, eating real food, drinking water, taking vitamins, vitamin D deficiency and what that causes in the body? No. There hasn’t been any of that.”
AARON RODGERS: "When Trump in 2020 was championing these vaccines, what did the left say? Don't trust the vaccine. Don't get the vaccine… What happened? Biden wins and everything flips. Shouldn't that give you a little bit of pause?… Isn't this about health, not politics?" pic.twitter.com/z2d9lnIiP5
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) November 5, 2021
“I have taken this very seriously,” Rodgers said. “I’m not a COVID denier or any bull**** like that. I just wanted to make the decision that was best for my body. That’s it. I wear my mask when I go out in public. The only time I haven’t worn my mask is when I’m around all vaccinated people. My response to those people would be like, ‘Hey, just so you know, I tested this morning negative, No. 1, and No. 2, you got vaccinated against something that you would be worried about me having, which I just told you I’m negative.’”
“To me, I can’t make any more sense than that. If I’m in public, I wear a mask. If I’m not, if I’m at my house, I’m not wearing a mask.”
Joe Morgan is the Sports Reporter for The Daily Wire. Most recently, Morgan covered the Clippers, Lakers, and the NBA for Sporting News. Send your sports questions to [email protected].