GREEN BAY, Wis. — Vaccinated or unvaccinated — it's a key question for Green Back Packers QB Aaron Rodgers because it will determine the timeline on when he can play again.
ESPN is reporting the NFL considered Rodgers unvaccinated. NFL.com says Rogers received "homeopathic treatment" from his doctor to raise his antibodies. He reportedly asked the NFL for an exemption to vaccination, but it was denied by the league and NFL Player's Association.
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said he found out Wednesday morning that Rodgers was in the NFL's COVID-19 protocol, meaning he won't play Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs.
As to Rodgers' vaccination status, LeFleur chose not to comment.
"I'm not going to get into any of our coaches' or players' vaccination status," Lafleur said.
But in August, when reporters asked Rodgers if he had gotten his shots, the quarterback said he had been "immunized."
"Yeah, I've been immunized," Rodgers said during the preseason. "You know, there's a lot of conversation about it around the league and a lot of guys who have made statements and not made statements, owners who have made statements. You know, there's guys on the team that haven't been vaccinated. I think it's a personal decision. I'm not going to judge those guys."
Here's why it matters. The NFL's COVID-19 protocolsays that if an unvaccinated player or coach tests positive, they will be isolated for at least 10 days and will then be permitted to return to duty if asymptomatic.
That's different than vaccinated players and staff. The positive individual will be permitted to return to duty after two negative tests taken at least 24 hours apart.
If Rodger is unvaccinated, he wouldn't be eligible to return to team activities until at least Nov. 13 — putting his status in jeopardy for the Packers' game against the Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 14.
Again, back in August, Rodgers talked about what impact the COVID-19 policy could have on the season.
"There's guys that have been vaccinated that have contracted COVID, so it's an interesting issue that I think we're going to see played out the entire season," Rodgers said.
This story was originally published by Charles Benson on Scripps station TMJ4 in Milwaukee.
