NFL reporter fact checks Aaron Rodgers claim on vaccination status

Following reports Aaron Rodgers tested positive for COVID-19, forcing him out at least 10 days, his vaccination status was brought into question. After telling reporters he was “immunized” against the virus, Rodgers joined the Pat McAfee Show to reiterate that he never lied to media.

In his own defense, the Packers quarterback maintained that he would have clarified the meaning of his statement if reporters asked a follow-up question. NBC Sports analyst Mike Florio checked the tape, evaluating Aaron Rodgers and his vaccination claim.

“As Myles Simmons astutely noted on Friday’s #PFTPM, there was a follow-up question during that initial press conference,” Florio wrote. “The follow-up question was based on the clear impression that Rodgers is vaccinated.”

“Aaron,” the reporter said, “without getting into the personal choice thing about that, from a football perspective, you know, Kirk Cousins is talking about how he’s like in a hermetically-sealed box or something in the quarterback room. The Patriots appear frustrated with Cam Newton because he hasn’t. From a football and competitive standpoint, was that important, to make sure that you’re most likely going to be available? And I don’t know, maybe even from an example-setting standpoint?”

“No, I mean, no, it wasn’t about that at all,” Rodgers said in response. “I think I like to learn about everything that I’m doing. And you know there was a lot of research that even went into that. But, you know, there’s been, like I said, there’s been people that have tested positive. I think it’s only vaccinated people there. So you know it’s gonna be interesting to see how things work moving forward. Obviously, there could be some issues with vaccinated people only testing every couple weeks and vaccinated people testing every day.”

Aaron Rodgers speaks with Pat McAfee

“I realize I’m in the crosshairs of the woke mob right now, so before the final nail gets put in my cancel culture casket, I think I’d like to set the record straight on so many of the blatant lies that are out there about myself right now,” Rodgers told Pat McAfee and AJ Hawk. “First of all, I didn’t lie in the initial press conference. During that time, it was a … witch-hunt that was going on across the league where everybody in the media was so concerned with who was vaccinated and who wasn’t and what that meant and who was being selfish and who would talk about it and what it meant if they said it’s a personal decision, they shouldn’t have to disclose their own medical information and what not.

“At the time, my plan was to say that I’ve been immunized. It wasn’t some sort of ruse or lie, it was the truth. … Had there been a follow-up to my statement that I’ve been immunized, I’d have said this: ‘Look, I’m not some sort of anti-vax, flat-earther. I’m somebody who’s a critical thinker.’ … I believe strongly in bodily autonomy and the ability to make choices for your body. Not to have to acquiesce to some woke culture or crazed, you know, group of individuals who say you have to do something. Health is not a one-size-fits-all for everybody.

“For me, it involved a lot of study in the offseason. Much like the study I put into hosting Jeopardy or the weekly study I put into planning the game. I put a lot of time and energy into research and met with a lot of different people in the medical field to get the most information about the vaccines before making a decision.”