Aaron Rodgers was back on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday and took a much less defiant tone as he attempted to do some damage control.
While the Green Bay Packers quarterback did not quite fully apologize for lying about his vaccination status in August, he acknowledged his words were misleading.
“I do realize that I am a role model…I made some comments that people might have felt were misleading,” he said at the beginning of the interview. “And to anybody who felt misled by those comments, I take full responsibility.”
The 37-year-old, who tested positive for COVID-19 last week, appeared on McAfee’s show on Friday, in which he confirmed he was unvaccinated, citing an allergy to an ingredient in the mRNA vaccines but also rambled about the “woke mob” and “pc culture” going on a “witch hunt” while citing anti-vax podcast host Joe Rogan as someone he consulted with on medical advice.
The aftermath of his comments only fueled more vitriol toward him, from Terry Bradshaw to Howard Stern, as Rodgers quickly found himself in the center of the vaccine debate.
“I understand that this issue in general is very charging to a lot of people because we’re talking about medical health,” he said. “I respect everybody’s opinion. … I’m not gonna hate on anybody that has said things about me. I believe everybody’s entitled to their opinion. I’ll always believe that.”
Rodgers continued that he also wants to part of the politicization of the vaccine, either.
“I’m an athlete, I’m not an activist,” he said. “I’m gonna get back to doing what I do best, and that’s playing ball.”
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Whether or not that will be this weekend is undetermined. Rodgers’ absence may have cost the Packers on Sunday as they fell to the Kansas City Chiefs, 13-7, behind Jordan Love making his NFL debut.
Rodgers, who must isolate for a minimum of 10 days and be asymptomatic before returning, is hopeful to play this Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, but added there is a “small possibility” he misses the game.
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