Green Bay Packers star quarterback Aaron Rodgers noted in a recent podcast that too many people were openly rooting against Green Bay just because of his vaccination status.
In the wake of the Packers elimination from the playoffs, Rodgers noted during his regular appearance on the Pat McAfee Show that social media exploded with people attacking the Packers solely because he’s unvaccinated.
“There were a ton of people rooting against us because of my vaccination status & them wanting to see us lose so they could pile on… we knew this was coming down the pipe at some point,” he said.
"There were a ton of people rooting against us because of my vaccination status & them wanting to see us lose so they could pile on.. we knew this was coming down the pipe at some point" ~@AaronRodgers12#PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/Qgrz2bZYqO
— 🅿️at McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 25, 2022
Rodgers also said that he never intended to be a divisive character in the coronavirus vaccine debate, saying, “I realize that I’ve been divisive this season by my vaccination status and my willingness to talk about it.” But, he added, “I take accountability for that & I never wanted to be a divisive, polarizing figure on this.”
"I realize that I've been divisive this season by my vaccination status & my willingness to talk about it.. I take accountability for that & I never wanted to be a divisive polarizing figure on this" ~@AaronRodgers12#PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/DToLmhetI2
— 🅿️at McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 25, 2022
But Rodgers next said that he wasn’t going to compromise who he is to satisfy the critics, even as he felt he had to defend himself in public. But he has no interest in becoming a poster boy for the vaccine debate:
"I don't want my views bolstering the anti vaxxers & triggering the vax people.. I wanna be somebody who has an opinion & is open to hearing from both sides because that's what we need more of" ~@AaronRodgers12#PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/OBxMowhU1E
— 🅿️at McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 25, 2022
Rodgers also quashed rumors that he would retire but come back a year later.
“One thing I would 100% not do is retire and then come back a year later. I don’t have any desire to do that. That makes no sense,” Rodgers said.
"One thing I will not do is retire & then come back a year later.. I'm in a really good place with Brian Gutekunst & when it comes time to make a decision we'll have a conversation" ~@AaronRodgers12#PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/vL205RLlv3
— 🅿️at McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 25, 2022
"Everything is definitely on the table.. there are things that seem more plausible or more likely but first there has to be the commitment to playing"@AaronRodgers12 on his future #PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/9t1TTKq5Zp
— 🅿️at McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 25, 2022
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