Aaron Rodgers Returns to Play for Packers After Testing Positive for COVID, Quarantining

Aaron Rodgers has returned to play for the Green Bay Packers after completing his COVID-19 quarantine.

The quarterback, 37, tested positive for COVID on Nov. 3 and, per NFL protocols for unvaccinated players, had to complete a 10-day quarantine and be cleared by a team doctor before heading back to the field on Sunday.

His team, playing at their home stadium in Wisconsin, beat the Seattle Seahawks 17-0.

Rodgers has come under fire after confirming he was unvaccinated on Nov. 5, just two days following his positive COVID test. At the time, he claimed he "didn't lie" when he told the media in August that he was "immunized."

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After his admission, Rodgers was fined for violating the league's COVID protocols, including not wearing a mask during his news conferences and going maskless in the team's facility.

In addition, the team was fined for not reporting Rodgers and unvaccinated wide receiver Allen Lazard's attendance at a Halloween party. (League protocol prevents those without vaccinations from gathering in groups of more than three.)

Rodgers acknowledged his comments about being "immunized" during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show last week.

"I do realize that I am a role model to a lot of people and so I just want to start off the show by acknowledging that I made some comments that people might have felt were misleading. To anybody who felt misled by those comments, I take full responsibility for those comments," he said on Nov. 9.

However, he stood by his decision to not get the vaccine.

"I understand that this issue, in general, is very charging to a lot of people because we're talking about public health. I totally respect that. I made a decision that was in the best interest based on consulting with my doctors," the reigning NFL MVP explained. "I understand that not everybody's gonna understand that necessarily, but I respect everybody's opinion."

Later, Rodgers similarly added: "I'm an athlete, I'm not an activist. So I'm going to get back to doing what I do best, and that's playing ball. I shared my opinion. It wasn't one that was come to frivolously, it involved a lot of study and what I felt like was in my best interest for my body."

In a previous interview, Rodgers told McAfee that he was allergic to an ingredient in the mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna), and did not want to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine because, he claimed, "I had heard of multiple people who had had adverse events around getting the J&J."

The athlete also said he took ivermectin, a drug that the FDA has not authorized or approved for use in treating or preventing COVID-19, and in cases where it was taken, people have been hospitalized. The FDA has not authorized or approved the drug for use in treating or preventing COVID-19, and in cases where it was taken, people have been hospitalized.

A study released earlier this year by the CDC found that among people who are fully vaccinated, the risk of COVID-19 infection was reduced by 91%. Additionally, the risk of infection among those who were partially vaccinated was 81% lower.

The NFL does not currently require players to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, but specific mandates from teams and venues vary due to local city and state laws. The Packers do not require vaccinations at their home stadium, Lambeau Field.

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