In the summer, Aaron Rodgers declared he was “immunised” against Covid-19. Now it turns out that the Green Bay Packers quarterback not only contracted Corona, but is also unvaccinated.

Munich – In August, a few weeks before the start of the NFL season, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was asked by US reporters about his vaccination status.

His answer at the time: “I am immunised.”

He added: “There are people on the team who are not immunised. I think that’s a personal decision. I’m not going to judge those guys. There are guys who are vaccinated who have contracted covid. It’s an interesting issue that I think we’ll be watching all season. “

Rodgers said to be “immunised “

It’s clear by now that the superstar was correct in that prediction. Week after week, countless players and coaches are absent due to a Corona infection. Last week, for example, Packers receiver Davante Adams and the team’s defensive coordinator Joe Barry were hit.

What exactly Rodgers meant by the statement “I’m immunised”, however, is completely unclear. Especially in view of the fact that the 37-year-old is not available for the game against the Kansas City Chiefs next Sunday because he himself is infected and, according to concurring US media reports, not vaccinated.

At the pre-game press conference on Wednesday night, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur confirmed that Rodgers will not play and last year’s drafted Jordan Love will instead be the starter on the field.

With third-string quarterback Kurt Benkert testing positive in addition to Rodgers, the team will look to add another playmaker in preparation for the Week 9 game. The hottest candidate for this is Blake Bortles, who is reportedly already on his way to Green Bay.

NFL clearly defines vaccination rules

Meanwhile, confusion surrounds the superstar’s statement that he is “immunised”. NFL regulations are clear on the issue of vaccination or immunisation.

Players are considered fully immunised in the following cases:

1. Double vaccination with Biontech/Pfizer or Moderna
2. Single vaccination with Johnson & Johnson
3. Single vaccination with Biontech/Pfizer or Moderna if infection has been previously detected

Meanwhile, Astrazeneca’s vaccine, which is approved in Germany, is not recognised by the world’s best football league

Rodgers probably wanted “alternative treatment” as vaccine replacement

In the case of Aaron Rodgers, none of these options seem to apply. According to “ESPN”, the playmaker had applied to the NFL in the summer to claim an “alternative treatment” as a vaccination. The 37-year-old had his personal doctor treat him homeopathically and asked the NFL to recheck his vaccination status – but the league refused.

Accordingly, the quarterback has been considered unvaccinated since the beginning of the season and must also submit to the corresponding protocols for unvaccinated players. Whether he has always done so is already the subject of heated debate.

LaFleur, meanwhile, would not comment to US journalists on whether his most important player has been vaccinated, pointing out that the question should be put to the signal caller himself. The head coach also declined to comment on a Halloween party last weekend that was attended by countless Packers players.

Matt LaFleur when asked about why Aaron Rodgers described his vaccination status this summer as “immunized” said, “That’s a great question for Aaron. “

– Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) November 3, 2021

For a player like Rodgers to miss at least one NFL game due to a Corona infection is annoying for the Packers, but not all that surprising news in an era of rising infection rates.

However, the fact that he suggested with his statement that he had received a vaccination when this is not the case is making waves.

Return in ten days at the earliest

Rodgers has not yet made any statements himself. He is now in the league’s Covid protocol and can only return after ten days at the earliest and thus one day before the game against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 10 – assuming the illness progresses without symptoms.

Whether Rodgers deliberately misled the media and fans with his statement in order to conceal his true vaccination status has not been clarified.

But what should already be clear: When the MVP of the pre-season next appears before the press, more than just an unpleasant question awaits. For Rodgers, it will also be about his image.