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By now you know that it was announced yesterday that Aaron Rodgers tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss this week’s game with the Chiefs and will not be allowed to rejoin the Packers until next Saturday.
Those strict restrictions are in place because the reigning NFL MVP has not been vaccinated for COVID, even though he said in August that he had been “immunized” and we all took that to mean he had been vaccinated for a virus that has now killed over five million people in the world and close to 750,000 Americans.
I obviously hope that Aaron Rodgers is OK and is able to fight off the virus and be 100 percent on the other side of this.
But I also hope something is done here either by the NFL or the Packers to show Rodgers that what he has done – putting teammates and their families and many other people in harms way by lying about being vaccinated – is not OK.
At all.
Here’s what needs to happen – Rodgers needs to be suspended. By the Packers. By the NFL. By anyone who has the guts to step up and do right thing even if it could hurt Green Bay’s playoff position.
The NFL said it will conduct an investigation and work with the Packers to see how they handled everything and if the correct COVID protocols were followed.
Here’s what will likely happen – nothing. Forgive me if I don’t have much faith in NFL investigations these days – the league has shown recently that it isn’t entirely interested in divulging the truth and doing the right thing.
Why does Aaron Rodgers need to be suspended? Because what he did was smug and dangerous and a punishment would send a message to the rest of the league that if the MVP can’t get away it then neither can you.
Rodgers has conducted press conferences throughout the season without a mask on inside the team’s media room and was seen at an indoor Halloween party last weekend. Unvaccinated players are not allowed by the league to go to bars and nightclubs and must wear a mask at all times inside team facilities.
Rodgers has known all along what he’s doing and he has just powered through it all like it’s no big deal.
Well, it is a big deal. The health and well being of those around us should be the biggest of deals. It’s why we get vaccinated – to make sure other people are safe during a global pandemic. This isn’t about us. It’s about US.
Rodgers said back in August that getting vaccinated is a “personal decision” and he wouldn’t judge teammates who opted not to be vaccinated.
Not getting vaccinated during a global pandemic, though, isn’t a personal decision – it’s an incredibly selfish one. And, as we know, with all decisions comes consequences. Make a good decision, most likely good consequences will follow. Make a bad decision, get ready to deal with the bad consequences.
Rodgers needs to face those bad consequences and if he does he’ll have nobody to blame but himself.
Quick hits: Lane Kiffin’s dad energy… How Astros fan got Soler’s HR ball… Grade for reported Jack Eichel trade… And more.
– Alex McDaniel takes a hilarious look at 12 times Lane Kiffin gave off some serious dad energy.
– An Astros fan had a great story for how he ended up with Jorge Soler’s HR ball at a World Series party near Minute Maid Park.
– Charles Curtis has a grade for the reported Jack Eichel trade between the Sabres and Golden Knights.
– Braves star Ozzie Albies had a great FaceTime call with his dog during his team’s celebration after winning the World Series.
– Here’s Jason Kirk’s Week 10 college football watch grid.
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