Aaron Rodgers is talking about vaccination again.
The Packers quarterback, whose refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine became a national story last year, was on “The Joe Rogan Experience” Saturday when the topic came up. Rodgers, who told reporters he was “immunized” last year, admitted that the phrasing was intentionally misleading.
“I’d been ready the entire time for this question and had thought about how I wanted to answer it,” Rodgers said. “And I had come to the conclusion, I’m gonna say, ‘I’ve been immunized.’ And if there’s a follow-up, then talk about my process.
“But, thought there’s a possibility that I say, ‘I’m immunized,’ maybe they understand what that means, maybe they don’t. Maybe they follow up. They didn’t follow up. So then I go [into] the season them thinking, some of them, that I was vaccinated.”
Rodgers was referring to homeopathic medicine he took as a means of immunization, but he further contributed to the perception that he was vaccinated by speaking maskless at press conferences when only vaccinated players were allowed to do so.
When Rodgers eventually tested positive for COVID, the story blew up.
“I knew at some point if I contracted COVID or if word got out, because it’s the NFL and there’s leaks everywhere, it was possible I’d have to answer the questions,” Rodgers said. “And that’s when the s–tstorm hit because now I’m a liar, I’m endangering the community, my teammates, all these people. And the attempted takedown of me and my word and my integrity began.”