Aaron Rodgers has tested positive for COVID-19 and will not play Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The bombshell news was first reported earlier this morning by the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Under NFL protocols, vaccinated players who test positive but are asymptomatic could still return to team facilities if they have two negative tests within 24 hours of each other. By ruling Rodgers out for the weekend game indicates the reigning NFL MVP was unvaccinated and under protocols, must remain away for a minimum of 10 days.
The biggest question at Lambeau Field is, has Rodgers been vaccinated? He was asked that question directly by Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press Gazette back on August 26 and here is Rodgers’ complete response.
His use of the word “immunized” was taken on it’s face without a more direct follow up but that doesn’t meet the league’s protocol definitions of vaccinated or unvaccinated.
What also now comes under serious question for the organization is if Rodgers was not vaccinated, was he following league protocols for the past 8 weeks, requiring masks indoors?, staying socially distanced?, avoiding public gatherings outside of the facility?
Players gathered just last Saturday night for a team Halloween party which Rodgers attended and at least in photos and social media posts from the event, no masks were evident. If protocols were not being followed, Rodgers and possibly the team could be subject to league fines.
The virus has infiltrated the team in the last two weeks with defensive coordinator Joe Barry, Pro Bowl wide receiver Davante Adams and receiver Allen Lazard all contracting COVID-19, forcing them to miss last week’s game in Arizona.
Practice squad quarterback Kurt Benkert revealed via Twitter that he tested positive on Monday.
And now Rodgers.
That leaves Green Bay with one quarterback on the roster, former number one pick Jordan Love who will make his first NFL start on Sunday against the Chiefs. General Manager Brian Gutekunst will almost certainly have to sign a free agent off the street, possibly veteran Blake Bortels who was with the team during training camp.
Rodgers was scheduled to meet reporters for his weekly Wednesday media session but the team has sent out a revised agenda, with Rodgers taken off the list.
