Aaron Rodgers is setting the record straight on his vaccination status.
The Green Bay Packers quarterback, who was reported earlier this week to have tested positive for COVID-19 and placed on the NFL team's reserve/COVID-19 list, confirmed in an interview with the Pat McAfee Show on Friday that he had indeed contracted respiratory virus. Rodgers also shared that he is not vaccinated against COVID-19, despite telling reporters during a press conference this summer that he had been "immunized."
When asked about his previous comment, Rodgers said he "didn't lie in the initial press conference" and that "it was the truth."
He explained, "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 some sort of anti-vax, flat-earther. I am somebody who is a critical thinker. If you guys know me, I march to the beat of my own drum. I believe strongly in bodily autonomy and the ability to make choices for your body.'"
According to Rodgers, he is allergic to one of the ingredients in the mRNA vaccines, Pfizer and Moderna, and could only receive the Johnson & Johnson. However, the athlete said he chose not to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine because he had heard that some people had experienced "difficult times" around getting the shot.
Moreover, the football player, who is engaged to actress Shailene Woodley, expressed concern that the vaccine would impact his fertility. Rodgers said, "That was definitely something that I was worried about and it went through my mind."
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there's "currently no evidence shows that any vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, cause fertility problems (problems trying to get pregnant) in women or men."
Instead of getting one of the "big three" vaccines, Rodgers claimed he found "an immunization protocol that I could go through to best protect myself and my teammates." The protocol involved taking ivermectin, an anti-parasitic drug commonly used on animals that is not recognized by the FDA to treat COVID-19, and monoclonal antibodies.
He added, "I consulted with a now good friend of mine Joe Rogan, after he got COVID, and I've been doing a lot of stuff that he recommended."
Though Rodgers said he tried to petition the NFL to "accept my immunization status as under their vaccination protocol," he was ultimately denied.
Due to his non-immunized status, he must now follow what he believes are "draconian and shame-based" protocols for those who are not vaccinated against COVID-19, which includes wearing a mask in public, testing for COVID-19 every day and certain travel restrictions.
During his interview, Rodgers also asserted that he's "not a COVID-denier" and that the "situation that I'm in should be a conversation, not a controversy."
He added, "I made a decision based on what's best for my body."