"Aaron Rodgers came across as a national embarrassment" - Stephen A. Smith launches scathing attack on Packers QB
The fallout from Aaron Rodgers' status as unvaccinated is still going strong. Having missed his team's 13-7 loss over the Kansas City Chiefs, Rodgers is in line to return this week against the Seahawks.
Rodgers lied about his vaccination status back in August when he stated he was "immunized" instead of vaccinated. The NFL community has come down hard on the reigning NFL MVP and First Take's Stephen A. Smith is the latest to put the Packers quarterback on blast.
Stephen A. Smith tear's into Rodgers over vaccination status
Speaking on First Take on Monday, Smith made his feelings about Rodgers and the whole situation known and didn't pull any punches. He said:
"We all know how I feel about Aaron Rodgers. I'm the brother that coined the phrase he's a bad man, this brother is special, I love Aaron Rodgers. I am ashamed of him right now, if Aaron Rodgers is watching this interview, Friday on Pat McAfee's show, you came across as a national embarrassment."
He added:
"There is no other way around it, it was the most embarrassing performance of Aaron Rodgers' career, period. There is no denying that, let's count the ways."
Smith was highly critical of Rodgers, saying he was "immunized" instead of "vaccinated" during a press conference earlier this year. He said:
"First of all, he could of come out and told the truth. The fact that you went on Pat McAfee's show and articulated what you articulated as extensively as you did, you could have done that back in August when he (reporter) asked you the question, so that is point number one.
"Point number two, you said that you didn't "lie," OK Aaron Rodgers, how about deliberately decietful? Does that work? Because you knew that you didn't take the Pfizer, the Moderna or the Johnson and Johnson vaccine and you knew that in the eyes of the NFL, that was the stipulation under which you were declared vaccinated or unvaccinated," said Smith.
For the most part, people are okay with players not being vaccinated as it is a personal choice, but in Rodgers' case, it was the fact that he lied about being vaccinated when he was not.
Stephen A. Smith was primarily critical of Rodgers for lying about his vaccination status instead of telling the media about his position as Kirk Cousins and Carson Wentz have (both unvaccinated). They have not been scrutinized because of their beliefs on the vaccine.
Rodgers is due a day before the Packers play the Seahawks, so it remains to be seen if he will take the field. If not, then Jordan Love will get another chance to stake his claim as the franchise's future.
Also Read: Who is Aaron Rodgers' girlfriend, Shailene Woodley?