Aaron Rodgers Confirms He Is Unvaccinated, Says He 'Didn't Lie' When He Said He Was 'Immunized'

Aaron Rodgers said he wanted to "set the record straight" after reports came out this week that he was unvaccinated against COVID-19. He previously said he was "immunized"

Aaron Rodgers is addressing reports about his COVID-19 vaccination status, and asserting that he didn't lie when he told reporters this year that he was "immunized."

In an interview with the Pat McAfee Show on Friday, the Green Bay Packers quarterback said he wanted to "set the record straight on so many of the blatant lies that are out there about myself right now."

Earlier this week, Rodgers, 37, was placed on the Packers' reserve/COVID-19 list. The team's coach Matt LaFleur would not confirm if Rodgers had tested positive for the virus — despite multiple outlets reporting he had — during a press conference, only stating that the athlete was in COVID-19 protocols. He also said he did not know when Rodgers would return to play.

At the time, outlets and journalists including ESPN, NFL Network Insider's Ian Rapoport and NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported that Rodgers was unvaccinated. The reports were surprising, as in August Rodgers had told reporters and news outlets that he'd "been immunized" ahead of the upcoming season for which some players have refused to get the vaccine.

"There's guys on the team that haven't been vaccinated and it's a personal decision, not going to judge those guys," the one-time Jeopardy! guest host added at the time.

During Friday's show, Rodgers confirmed he had contracted the virus and said he "didn't lie in the initial press conference."

Aaron Rodgers. Harry How/Getty

Said Rodgers, "During that time, it was a very witch hunt that was going on across the league," noting that he felt there was a pressure to disclose personal health information, which he disagrees with.

"And at the time my plan was to say that I have been immunized," the athlete continued. "It wasn't some sort of ruse or lie, it was the truth. ... Had there been a follow-up to my statement that I had been immunized. I would have responded with this, I would have said, 'Look, I'm not, you know some sort of anti-vaxx, flat-earther. I am somebody who is a critical thinker.' "

The athlete said he was allergic to an ingredient in the mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna), and did not want to receive the Johnson & Johnson shot because, he claimed, "I had heard of multiple people who had had adverse events around getting the J&J."

Claiming he did extensive research and consulted with doctors, he said he found "there was an immunization protocol that I could go through to best protect myself and my teammates."

In describing that protocol, Rodgers said he had taken ivermectin, a drug used foremost to treat or prevent parasites in animals. The FDA has not authorized or approved the drug for use in treating or preventing COVID-19, and in cases where it was taken, people have been hospitalized.

The NFL currently does not require players to be fully vaccinated against COVID, but specific mandates from teams and venues vary due to local city and state laws. The Packers do not require vaccinations at their home stadium, Lambeau Field.

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Rodgers asserted again later that he was not someone who doesn't believe in COVID, and follows the NFL's protocols. He said he is tested for the virus every day.

"The league was fully aware of it upon my return to the Packers," he said of the NFL knowing he was unvaccinated. "It was at that point that I petitioned them to accept my immunization status as under their vaccination protocol. At the time, they had only had the big three is what they were going to do."

A study released earlier this year by the CDC found that among people who are fully vaccinated, the risk of COVID-19 infection was reduced by 91%. Additionally, the risk of infection among those who were partially vaccinated was 81% lower.

The new study involved almost 4,000 essential workers who completed weekly testing for 17 weeks from December to April.

Researchers also found that participants who did contract the virus experienced milder symptoms.

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