Aaron Rodgers, in continuing his spiritual rebirth (others might call it a midlife crisis), made a news-worthy revelation earlier this week, crediting his career revival to ayahuasca, which he was introduced to several years ago while visiting Peru with his then-girlfriend Danica Patrick.
For those unfamiliar, ayahuasca is a plant-based herbal remedy containing various psychoactive chemicals including DMT, well-known for its hallucinogenic properties. Common side effects include vomiting, diarrhea and, apparently a changed outlook on life.
“I had a magical experience with the sensation of feeling 100 different hands on my body, imparting a blessing of love and forgiveness for myself and gratitude for this life,” Rodgers shared with Aubrey Marcus during a recent podcast appearance. “I really feel like that set me on my course to be able to go back into my job and have a different perspective on things. And to be way freer at work, as a leader, as a teammate, as a friend, as a lover. I really feel like that experience paved the way for me to have the best season of my career.”
Upon learning this, Fox Sports host Colin Cowherd couldn’t help but roll his eyes at Rodgers, openly mocking the 38-year-old’s quest for enlightenment.
“Aaron went and experimented with a very ancient and serious healing method. In Central and South America, they take it seriously. Occasionally, self-important Americans think they can just dabble their toe in it, take a hallucinogenic brew, yak and think their world changed,” said Cowherd, clearly skeptical of whatever wisdom Rodgers claims to have gained from ayahuasca. “Aaron, lots of people have tried this psychedelic tea. They’re called hippies, burnouts and affluent white people with too much time on their hands and nobody in their life to call out their crap.”
Cowherd would later detour into Rodgers’ personal life, suggesting the Packers quarterback would have a clearer purpose if he found the right partner. “Aaron’s got no owner, no real relationship with his brother or his parents and no wife,” said Cowherd, alluding to a falling out Rodgers had with his family years earlier. “I like my pro athletes to be married to strong women. They call you out on your crap.”
Per usual, it’s hard to tell if Cowherd is serious or doing a bit, flexing his shock-jock muscles like the veteran provocateur that he is. But it seems Cowherd has a genuine bone to pick with Rodgers, dismissing his spiritual exploration as a contrived, attention-seeking exercise in self-indulgence.
“The Mannings are married. Brady’s married. Russell Wilson is married. Big Ben [Roethlisberger] was in all sorts of trouble when he wasn’t married. Then he got married. Got a little heavy, didn’t work out as hard, but I liked him more,” said Cowherd. “Women hold us accountable. Guys when they get rich and older and single get really self-absorbed. Who holds Aaron accountable? No owner in Green Bay to call him on his crap. Fake Hollywood friends aren’t going to do it.”
Rodgers may be an odd cat, getting bizarre tattoos and showing up to Packers training camp looking like Cameron Poe from Con Air, but he’s also the reigning league MVP, playing arguably the best football of his career over his past two seasons.
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