FanPost

Rodgers Lies Should Be Disciplined

It's Not About His Vaccination Stance

The NFL is disciplining Aaron Rodgers for his violation of their COVID protocols with fines. Due to their COVID policies and escalating punishment I understand that. Now it is time for them to address Rodgers' multiple lies under the Personal Conduct Policy sections pertaining to posing a danger to the safety of others and undermining the integrity of the NFL. There have been a lot of articles on what Rodgers initially said, and what he said last week on the Pat McAfee show to defend himself. But it is a statement he made on the Pat McAfee show a couple weeks ago, one you probably have not seen, that reveals his true state of mind.

The quote you probably haven't seen is this one, as reported by Sports Illustrated Jimmy Traina in a November 5, 2021 article. According to Traina, a couple weeks before Rodgers contracted COVID Rodgers said:

And ultimately there's a game within the game. And in this game, there's a player and there's a game. If the player abides by the rules of the game, he's a part of the game. Now the rules of the game are you must acquiesce with the woke mob at all times. You must. However, when you live above the game, the game does not exist. That's where I'm at. These things, I realize them, I see them, but I'm not a part of this game that's being played. The game is being played out by these individuals and I see it. I hear it, but to me it's comedy.

Comedy. He thought his deception of "the woke mob" was comedy. Not wearing a mask in press conferences, misleading people regarding his vaccination status in a pandemic so they could make their own choices about their health was comedy to him. Because he lives "above the game."

Let's look at all his statements together.

First three lies: When asked if he was vaccinated he said yes and that he was inoculated. Both are lies because he wasn't vaccinated, and strengthening your immune system is not the same as being inoculated. He then lied by omission by talking about unvaccinated players as "they" and "them" clearly leaving himself out of that category.

Gaslighting move: In his appearance on the Pat McAfee show after he contracted COVID he made a classic gaslighter/abuser move blaming the victims stating that we made him lie.

Suspected lie: Then he claimed that he was allergic to ingredients in 2 of the 3 vaccines. Why don't I believe this? Because it would have given him an easy explanation of why he wasn't taking a vaccine. He could have issued a statement. He would not have had to even disclose the allergy. He could have issued a statement "For medical reasons I cannot take at least 2 of the vaccinations. Instead I will be following the NFL protocol for unvaccinated players. I will not be taking questions regarding my vaccination status." He is Aaron F'ing Rodgers, he could shorten it to just state he'll follow that protocol, or he could have made himself a hero by stating he'll take extra steps to strengthen his immune system to protect himself and the team, and refuse to make further statements on the matter. If he does any of those things - in other words if he does not lie - this all goes away quickly.

Two more lies: Rodgers claimed he spoke with NFL doctors who told him a vaccinated person cannot contract COVID and cannot spread COVID. Rodgers claimed he knew this was wrong and that this was the point he knew he would not win his fight to get his alternate treatment approved. The NFL has debunked this lie stating Rodgers never met with any of their doctors and that none of their doctors would have made this sort of statement.

The statement that he knew vaccinated people could catch COVID and could spread it is humorous because it contradicts his statement why he didn't wear a mask in media sessions.

Yet another lie:

"Some of the rules to me are not based in science at all," Rodgers said. "They're based purely in trying to out and shame people. Like needing to wear a mask at a podium when every person in the room is vaccinated and wearing a mask makes no sense to me.

"If you got vaccinated to protect yourself from a virus that I don't have as an unvaccinated individual, then why are you worried about anything that I can give you?"

But wait, if he knew vaccinated people could catch and spread COVID, then having everyone wear a mask is reasonable. And Rodgers, you do have that virus. He did not follow a rule intended to protect everyone in the middle of a pandemic for one reason only: he did not want to.

Rodgers is a coward. He didn't have the courage to state his true vaccination status. From that last quote he viewed wearing a mask in press conferences as a mark of shame. He plays to one crowd on the Pat McAfee show, but plays to a different crowd in public wanting things both ways.

While his masking violations fall under the NFL COVID protocols, his numerous lies and the consequences that may have come from them (spreading a highly contagious virus) fall under other NFL Personal Conduct Policies:

  • Conduct that poses a genuine danger to the safety and well-being of another person; and
  • Conduct that undermines or puts at risk the integrity of the NFL, NFL clubs, or NFL personnel.
The NFL absolutely could suspend or take other action against Rodgers under these policies. I don't say that as a Seattle fan hoping to keep him out of the game Sunday because I know nothing happens that quickly where NFL penalties are concerned. A player stating that they are above the rules is a danger to everyone, especially when those rules are designed to protect more than just the players on the field. The new allegations from other team owners that their teams were provided different COVID protocol advice than Green Bay support Rodgers' view that he is above the rules that apply to other players. If the NFL wants to preserve its integrity it needs to act. Now.