Aaron Rodgers opens up on being attacked for COVID-19 stance: "That’s the playbook of cancel culture"
Football fans listen every time Aaron Rodgers has something to say. That’s why they tune in for his weekly conversations with Pat McAfee during the NFL season. While he is not afraid to speak his mind, his stance on the COVID-19 vaccine made him either a hero or a villain.
Those who agree with his beliefs about the vaccine have undying praise for him, calling him an intelligent person. Conversely, he addressed those who criticized him in a recent interview with “Chief Nerd” Cameron Hanes. The four-time NFL Most Valuable Player said:
“That’s the playbook of canceled culture. It’s silence. Censor, and a name call.. There’s certain terms that are used now on social media in a society that can try and shut somebody up.
“You’re antivax, you’re conspiracy theorist, you’re flat earther, you’re right, anti-semitic, you’re a bigot. You’re far right wing, whatever it might be. And that’s just kind of the playbook that they use.”
Aaron Rodgers started publicizing his stance on COVID-19 vaccines when he claimed during a 2021 press conference that he’d been “immunized.” Later that year, he tested positive for COVID-19 and never took a vaccine shot for the virus.
Rodgers supported those who agreed with his anti-vaccine stance, like independent United States Presidential Candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Conversely, he criticized vaccine proponents like Dr. Peter Hotez and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, whom Rodgers calls “Mr. Pfizer,” for endorsing the biopharmaceutical company’s “double shot” campaign.
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Super Bowl 45 winner claimed during his interviews with Pat McAfee that Ivermectin is effective for people with COVID-19 and that the unvaccinated ones are not heavily affected by the virus.
Aside from his anti-vaccine stance, Aaron Rodgers received a ton of criticism after implying that late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel is Jeffrey Epstein’s acquaintance. When Kimmel denied the allegations and threatened legal action, Rodgers had a half-hearted apology masked as a joke.
Aaron Rodgers gears up for his football return
The veteran quarterback owes it to himself and the New York Jets to have a spectacular 2024 season. His 2023 campaign with his new squad didn’t end according to plan after he suffered a season-ending Achilles injury after four snaps.
While Aaron Rodgers manifested a remarkable recovery, the Jets decided to shut him down for the season, leading to another early exit. But as the 2024 season looms, his physical condition will be the most significant factor for the Jets’ success.
If he remains healthy, the Jets will have a shot against their 2024 regular-season opponents. While there’s no final schedule yet, Rodgers and the Jets will face last season’s playoff participants: the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers, Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers.