Green Bay Packers: Aaron Rodgers fires back at media amid controversy

As part of a lengthy answer about his positive COVID-19 test, Aaron Rodgers discussed the media coverage of his situation.

Rodgers voiced his displeasure with the coverage on The Pat McAfee Show on Friday. The Green Bay Packers quarterback is a regular on McAfee’s show, and walked McAfee and co-host AJ Hawk through everything about his positive test.

Rodgers also discussed whether or not he broke the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols before responding to the media. He didn’t hold back.

Aaron Rodgers: ‘You don’t know my story, now you do’

“I just want to say that is what the media has been trying to do,” Rodgers said. “They’re trying to shame and out and cancel all of us non-vaccinated people, call us selfish. That’s the propaganda line, too: ‘You’re selfish for making the decision that’s in the best interest of your body.’ Now, I’ve already spelled out — which I didn’t have to — but I spelled out the issues of my own personal body and my own personal health. I have issues related to ingredients in the mRNA vaccines, then the J&J got pulled, not to mention the numerous issues with the J&J vaccine to this day.

“That I went out, on my own, paid for and did research and went out and did an immunization protocol that’s been used — homeopathy has been around for centuries. The doctors that I consulted with have been doing this for decades. The same type of stuff for children and adults who have immunocompromisation. They have pre-existing conditions or reasons they cannot take traditional vaccines. The league didn’t offer any opportunity for alternative medicines or treatments … but I think the thing that is so disappointing is it was not just that, but it was just the coercion and the collusion of GMs saying they’re not going to sign non-vaccinated players.

“And the coercion for players 54-90 who thinks, ‘If I’m not going to make this squad that I’m on now in training camp and I’m not vaxxed, my career is over.’ So there wasn’t any opportunities. Workers, in those same environments, have no opportunities. Workers at the facilities. And you’re seeing it all over the country. You’re seeing these mandates for firefighters, policemen, government workers who are saying, ‘Well, what about my body, my choice? What about making the best decision for my own circumstance?’ Again, health is not a one-size-fits-all thing. That’s the thing that’s most disappointing.

“Look at our squad. I’m the second non-vaxxed player to test positive. It’s pretty evident I tested positive being around a vaccinated individual. That’s the majority of people I spend time with. There’s been dozens of individuals that work at the facility that are vaxxed and tested positive. So this idea that it’s a pandemic of the unvaccinated is just a total lie.

“And I go back to these two questions from this ‘woke mob.’ … If the vaccine is so great, then how come people are still getting COVID and spreading COVID and, unfortunately, dying of COVID? If the vaccine is so safe, how come the manufacturers of the vaccine have full immunity? Let’s just step back and realize this vaccine is revolutionary, the things that they’re doing. However, we don’t know a whole lot about it. And to just say that it’s a blanket for all that ails you, in my opinion, is wrong and reckless.

“For the media out there taking shots at me: You don’t know my story, now you do. So quit lying about me and personal health decisions, in my opinion, should be private. They shouldn’t have to be gone through the wringer and over-scrutinized by people who are just pushing their own type of propaganda on the people and ideals. You want to have a conversation about it? I’m more than willing to have a conversation about it. But bodily autonomy is a right, and the shaming and the outing that people seem to get off on so much of finding these people who, ‘Oh, my god, can you believe these crackpots who are not vaccinated?’ Everybody has their own story. Everybody has their own stories and their own issues and their own reasons for doing things.

“But this shaming, cancel society, that is wrong. I made a choice that was in my best interest. You might respect it, you might hate it. But I bet you the people that hate are the same people that are really going to hate the fact that I’m 48 hours in and 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 he recommended in his podcasts and on the phone to me.

“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 their 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 D and HEQ, and I feel pretty incredible.”