“Aaron Rodgers is not stupid”: Stephen A Smith backs up Jets QB’s vaccine stance
Aaron Rodgers' issue with vaccines is a tale as old as time. Or at least as old as the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021, when the coronavirus pandemic was claiming lives the NFL made it mandatory for any employees coming in contact with players to be fully vaccinated, though no such mandate was passed for the players. A number of players chose to take the vaccine but Rodgers, who was the reigning NFL MVP at the time, chose not to, instead telling reporters he was "immunized."
The then-Jets quarterback eventually ended up testing positive for the virus and missed a game against the Kansas City Chiefs. After much debate about his "immunization" against COVID-19, Rodgers' stance on vaccines has been brought up time and again between the four-time MVP's several conspiracy theories.
A few of those were peddled in an interview with Tucker Carlson last week, but ESPN's Stephen A Smith, who has been a staunch critic of Rodgers in recent years, took a softer stance on the quarterback this time.
On his podcast, the Stephen A Smith Show, the ESPN host said:
“Whether you agree with him or disagree with him, Aaron Rodgers is not stupid. He’s not senseless. He’s not the insensitive dude that people have excoriated him as being. At least some of what he says, if not a lot more than some of it, gets attached with enough legitimacy to it that it will make you at least say ‘It’s something we need to discuss.’
"We can no longer sit here and act like every word that comes out of Aaron Rodgers’ mouth makes no sense and that he’s completely clueless and he don’t know what the hell he’s talking about.”
Aaron Rodgers' interview with Tucker Carlson raises eyebrows
Rodgers' stance on the vaccine was once again front and center in an interview with Tucker Carlson last week.
Rodgers vented his frustrations at the vaccine mandate, saying:
"If you want to know what's really going on, not just in Big Pharma, but in government is follow the money. And even in the NFL.
"There was a strong push. They sent stooges out to every team to try and enforce a vaccination level above 90%. And every team was zero exemption."
Last year, Rodgers also had a little back and forth with Chiefs Super Bowl winner Travis Kelce, who starred in a vaccine ad for Pfizer.
In an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers said:
"Mr. Pfizer said he didn't think he'd be in a vax war with me. This isn't a war; this is just conversation, but if you want some duel or debate, invite me on the podcast, come on the show and lets have a conversation. Let's do it like they do in John Wick 4. I'm going to take my man RFK Jr, and he can have Fauci or some other Pharmacrat, and we can converse about this."
For his part, Kelce merely laughed off Rodgers' barbs.