Plenty of you only spend time visiting outlets like this when not on your own personal time. Which is fine with me, as long as you don’t do it so much that you end up having 168 hours per week of personal time.
So now that you’re back at work, you may be curious about everything that happened on Friday afternoon, starting with the memorable Aaron Rodgers stream-of-consciousness in which he took an anti-vaccine position, insisted he’s not anti-vaxx, claimed he never agreed to rules that his union accepted on his behalf, blamed the media, the “woke mob,"and “cancel culture” for his decision to not be as candid as he should have been about his unvaccinated status, clumsily quoted MLK to justify his decision to ignore the rules, and more.
Some have blamed us for posting too many articles on the subject. If you had access to our traffic numbers, which can be tracked in real time, you’d say we didn’t have enough. It’s a compelling story, with plenty of questions about what has transpired, and plenty more about what’s to come.
In the event, then, that you missed any, some, or all of it, here are the links to the various, specific topics that flowed directly or indirectly from the stunning decision by Rodgers to swap two days of “deafening silence” (as Peter King described it on Friday morning’s PFT Live) for 45 minutes of TMI.
Rodgers insisted he didn’t lie (he did) on August 26 when he responded to the direct question of “are you vaccinated” with “yeah, I’ve been immunized,” and he cited a fear of the “woke mob” and “cancel culture” as his justification for not telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. (He also claimed the media has told “blatant lies” about him. The only thing anyone said about Rodgers is that he blatantly lied, however.)
Rodgers claimed that, during the process of trying to get an exemption from the vaccination requirement based on a homeopathic treatment, an NFL doctor told him it’s impossible for a vaccinated person to catch or spread COVID; the NFL went on the record to say this didn’t happen.
After Rodgers was diagnosed with COVID, he consulted with noted non-physician Joe Rogan about treatment options.
Rodgers said he didn’t agree to any of the applicable COVID protocols or sign a piece of paper that surrendered his rights; however, his union did it for him.
The August 26 “yeah, I’ve been immunized” press conference featured a follow-up question that presumed Rodgers is vaccinated; in answering it, he didn’t correct the reporter.
Prevea Health abruptly ended its nine-year partnership with Rodgers on Saturday.
State Farm is mum about its relationship with Rodgers.
It’s not just trolls and hot-take artists (like me) who are criticizing Rodgers; a quartet of Hall of Famers went after him on Sunday, with Terry Bradshaw (who stars in the newest State Farm commercial) putting it bluntly: “You lied to everyone.”
The NFL is investigating Rodgers for violating COVID protocols and the Packers for not enforcing those protocols, but for only fines are on the table for any violations that already have occurred; the league is focusing on whether Rodgers wore a mask as required in the building, along with his attendance at the team’s Halloween part.
When Rodgers returns, he won’t be subject to daily testing requirements or “close contact” rules until two days after the NFC Championship; however, all mask requirements will continue to apply.
Rodgers can be suspended for COVID protocol violations that occur after he returns, and the Packers could eventually lose a draft pick for recurring failures to enforce the rules, if Rodgers keeps breaking them.
LaFleur said Rodgers will “absolutely” start in Week 10, if he’s cleared to return to the team as of Saturday, the first day that he can return.
That should get you up to speed. Unless and until Rodgers decides to call Pat McAfee and A.J. Hawk and spew another 45 minutes of largely uninterrupted BS that will then need to be fully analyzed and dissected.