The MVP race promises to be particularly exciting this season. Looking at the stats alone, Aaron Rodgers is likely to come out on top once again. But one member of the jury is already announcing that other standards will also be applied – much to the quarterback’s displeasure.

Munich – Aaron Rodgers could achieve something this year that Tom Brady has yet to do: defend his MVP title.

After winning the award last season, the Green Bay Packers quarterback is once again in formidable form with 35 touchdown passes with four interceptions and 3977 passing yards and is one of the favourites. If he is not even the top favourite.

So his fourth award would not be a surprise. But his statistics alone may not be enough for him to triumph again. For with his questionable statements in connection with the Corona pandemic in general and the vaccinations against Covid in particular, the “Gunslinger” has obviously made his way to the throne more difficult.

“Rodgers wasn’t that much more valuable than Brady “

With Herb “Hub” Arkush, a member of the 50-member jury has already made it clear to the “Associated Press” that the 38-year-old will not receive a vote from him. The editor of “Chicago Football” vented his anger on radio station “670 The Score”.

“You can’t be the biggest jerk in the league, hurt your team, your organisation and your fans like he did and be voted MVP,” the 68-year-old sports commentator raged, “Was he the most valuable one on the field? Yeah, you can make that argument, but he wasn’t that much more valuable than Jonathan Taylor or Cooper Kupp or even Tom Brady. “

“Rodgers hurt his team on the field “

He could certainly see Rodgers being awarded again: “A lot of judges take a different approach than I do, but others I’ve talked to see it the same way.” But it is also clear that no one is allowed to reveal in advance who they are voting for. He might be going too far himself if he said who would not get his vote.

However, he is completely free to make his own choice. Accordingly, he is also free to decide what standards he applies and what he pays particular attention to.

Nowhere is it written that only the performance on the field should be taken into account, “although I think he has damaged his team on the field with his behaviour off the field. They’ll get the Number 1 seed either way, but what if the Chiefs game ended up being the deciding factor when he lied about his vaccination status and they lost?” Here Arkush alludes to the 7-13 in Week 9.

“Rodgers is a bad person “

Of course, as a Chicago journalist himself, he’d have to live with being viewed simply as a “Packers-hater,” but, “I can guarantee you I won’t be the only one not voting for him.”

For Arkush, “I think the manner of his behaviour is inappropriate. I think he is a bad person and I don’t think a bad person can be the most valuable person at the same time. “

Rodgers counters

Rodgers countered Arkush at the Packers PK on Wednesday, calling the journalist a “bum, asolute bum. He doesn’t know me. I don’t know him. Probably nobody knew him before his comment yesterday.”

Green Bay’s quarterback feels Arkush should be excluded from MVP voting if he has a preconceived opinion of him as a person.

“His problem is I’m not vaccinated,” Rodgers said – and suggested the title be renamed “Most Vaccinated Player” if vaccination status were to play a role in the voting.

Aaron Rodgers on Hub Arkush: “He’s a bum … an absolute bum.”

Rodgers thinks he should be excluded for voting for MVP because of his predisposition about him as a person.

“His problem is I’m not vaccinated” and added if that’s the case then make it “the most vaccinated player”” pic.twitter.com/tPXlST7JCU

– Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) January 5, 2022

Even during his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Rodgers had hinted that he might miss out on votes this year because many a jury member might take issue with his conduct regarding Corona protection.

“We shouldn’t put the cart before the horse,” the ten-time Pro Bowler stressed. So: the customary sequence should be respected, the sporting achievements above all. And not “certain states coming into play”.

So the MVP election is likely to become a political issue this time. And also accompanied by many non-sporting discussions in the aftermath.