Did Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers violate Covid-19 protocols?

Green Bay, Wisconsin – On Thursday, the NFL announced they were launching an investigation into whether Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers violated Covid-19 safety protocols.

Aaron Rodgers celebrates after a rushing touchdown in a game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Sunday, October 17.
Aaron Rodgers celebrates after a rushing touchdown in a game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Sunday, October 17.  © IMAGO/ZUMA Wire

The move comes in the wake of Rodgers' being outed as unvaccinated after testing positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday.

In a statement made to ESPN's Adam Schefter, an NFL spokesperson said, "The primary responsibility for enforcement of the Covid-19 protocols within club facilities rests with each club."

The statement continued, "Failure to properly enforce the protocols has resulted in discipline being assessed against individual clubs in the past. The league is aware of the current situation in Green Bay and will be reviewing the matter with the Packers."

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Though Rodgers said he was "immunized" in a press conference in August, the fact he was immediately ineligible for the Packers' upcoming game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday raised red flags.

On Friday, Rodgers appeared on the Pat McAfee Show, where he was given the floor to address his vaccination status and Covid-19 diagnosis.

"Before my final nail gets put in my cancel culture casket, I think I'd like to set the record straight," Rodgers stated.

"At the time, my plan was to say that I'd been immunized. It wasn't some sort of rouse or lie, it was the truth."

The problem, Rodgers says, is that the media never posed a followup question for him to further explain his situation.

Additionally, Rodgers shared that part of his decision to not get the vaccine stemmed from an allergy he has to an ingredient included in the mRNA vaccines, such as Moderna and Pfizer.

This left only the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as an option, which Rodgers said was out of the question for him.

How does the NFL handle positive Covid-19 cases?

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers paces the sidelines during a game between the Green Bay Packers and the New York Jets at Lambeau Field on August 21.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers paces the sidelines during a game between the Green Bay Packers and the New York Jets at Lambeau Field on August 21.  © imago/Icon SMI

According to the NFL's Covid-19 health and safety protocols, if a vaccinated player is asymptomatic, they will not be forced to self-isolate so long as they're asymptomatic and their next two tests comes back negative.

What this means is that if Rodgers was vaccinated and asymptomatic, which reports claimed he was, he would've had the chance to make Sunday's game rather than being immediately ruled out.

All he would have had to do was simply get two negative Covid-19 PCR tests at least 24 hours apart in order to be eligible for Sunday's matchup.

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However, Rodgers wasn't given this option, and was instead placed on the reserve list while he reportedly quarantines for at least 10 days. According to the NFL's website, this is the protocol for unvaccinated players who test positive but are asymptomatic.

On Wednesday, the NFL reported that Rodgers had tried to receive an exemption from the NFL and NFL Players Association Covid-19 Protocols based on his antibody levels.

Apparently, the star quarterback had received a homeopathic treatment from his personal doctor over the summer to boost his antibody levels in order to better protect himself from the illness.

However, the league and the player's union agreed that his treatment didn't offer any protection against Covid-19, and thus was denied an exemption and his unvaccinated status has since remained.

If the NFL finds that the Packers or Rodgers violated safety protocols, it would simply result in a fine for all involved parties, rather than suspensions.

The Packers will be forced to utilize backup quarterback Jordan Love for Sunday's matchup against the Chiefs in Rodgers' absence.

The good news for Packers fans is that Davante Adams was removed from the Covid-19 reserve list, and is expected to play in Sunday's game.

Cover photo: IMAGO/ZUMA Wire

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