Sports
NFL fines Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers for COVID-19 violations
The reigning NFL MVP and his teammate Allen Lazard were each fined $14,650 while the Packers have to take a $300,000 hit.
November 10, 2021 12:04pm
Updated: November 10, 2021 3:50pm
The NFL has fined quarterback Aaron Rodgers, wide receiver Allen Lazard and the Green Bay Packers after the league determined that the players and the team did not follow league COVID-19 protocols, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said Tuesday.
The Packers were fined $300,000, while Rodgers and Lazard were each fined $14, 650. Lazard and Rodgers both attended a Halloween party in violation of COVID-19 protocols for unvaccinated players, and the QB also violated protocols by speaking to reporters without wearing a mask, according to The New York Times.
The Packers were fined for neither disciplining the players nor reporting these violations to the NFL, according to CNN.
Rodgers, the reigning NFL MVP, missed the Packers' 13-7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday after testing positive for COVID-19. Asked in an interview earlier this year if he had been vaccinated, Rodgers replied, "Yeah, I've been immunized."
But in an interview last week on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Sirius XM, Rodgers confirmed he’s unvaccinated; claimed he's allergic to vaccines and has taken ivermectin; said he is the victim of a “woke mob”; and acknowledged he's been seeking COVID-19 advice from podcaster Joe Rogan.
"I made some comments that people might have felt were misleading and to anybody who felt misled by those comments, I take full responsibility for those comments," Rodgers told “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Packers responded to the NFL's punishment via a statement from team president Mark Murphy.
"We respect the League's findings and we recognize the importance of adherence to the COVID protocols to keep our team and organization safe and healthy. We will continue to educate the team regarding the importance of the protocols and remain committed to operating within the protocols."
The Packers could also face increased discipline -- including the loss of draft picks -- with any further protocol violations.
Green Bay is scheduled to host the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. If Rodgers doesn't clear COVID protocols before the game, backup QB Jordan Love will make his second straight start for the Packers.
