Aaron Rodgers was back playing with the Green Bay Packers on Sunday following a tumultuous couple of weeks and having completed ten days of self-isolation following a positive covid test.
But the quarterback but was forced to give his post-game press conference over Zoom because he is unvaccinated and refused to comply with NFL rules that would require him to wear a mask indoors, despite having antibodies against the virus.
'It was good to be back with the guys, good to be back at home, good to be on the field, really,' Rodgers said during the Zoom presser. 'I am happy - just a little tired. It has been a long ten days.
'The most emotions from the whole night was probably walking off the field after the game. It definitely got me a little misty.'
Aaron Rodgers was back playing for the Green Bay Packers on Sunday in his first game since testing positive for COVID-19
Rodgers decided to hold the press conference over Zoom because it allowed him to remain unmasked without violating league protocols
Asked why he felt so emotional, Rodgers explained it as not wanting to take his position for granted: 'Walking off the field. Walking out with the squad with whom I have so much love and appreciation for and then hearing that type of response from the crowd, it was just a little extra special. '
Rodgers made his return after missing a game against Kansas City, having contracted COVID-19.
He didn't practice all week but was cleared to play on Saturday under the NFL's protocols for unvaccinated players.
The protocols for unvaccinated players remain largely the same as they were for everyone during the 2020 season. The difference now, since the release of several vaccines, is that players who have gotten the injections are free from certain testing, distancing, and mask protocols.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) throws a pass against the Seattle Seahawks during an NFL football game on Sunday in Green Bay, Wisconsin
The unvaccinated quarterback was at the center of controversy following comments he made about the COVID vaccines
Unvaccinated players, however, need to distance, wear masks, and get daily tests.
The rules can often make little logical sense given that natural covid infections produce a stronger secondary immune response than the vaccine, according to a recent study.
Important components of the body's immune response called memory B cells continue to evolve and get stronger for at least several months, producing highly potent antibodies that can neutralize new variants of the virus.
By comparison, vaccine-induced memory B cells are less robust, evolving for only a few weeks and never 'learning' to protect against variants.
Rodgers was asked if he had spent any time reflecting on himself during his time in isolation.
Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after the NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. He said he felt 'emotional' as he walked off the field
Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers looks on before the game against the Seahawks
Last week, the reigning MVP acknowledged he 'misled' the public about his vaccination status but said that he takes 'full responsibility'
'I think in general it was definitely a good time to reflect on the last 17 years and to continue to try and live daily with gratitude. I heard from people all over the country and world checking to see how I was doing and sending words of affirmation. The guys checked on me every single day including all the coaches and that was really meaningful, so I appreciate that part of a difficult ten days.'
A week after his positive test caused him to sit out a 13-7 loss at Kansas City, Rodgers went 23 of 37 for 292 yards and threw an interception in the end zone in the third quarter as the Packers won for the eighth time in their last nine games.
The three-time MVP said before the season he had been 'immunized' but after his positive test, he detailed in an incendiary radio interview his reasons for seeking alternatives to vaccination and his skepticism about the shots' effectiveness.
Rodgers later apologized for the misleading statement about his vaccination status.
'There's always going to be criticism in this world,' Rodgers said in his first comments to reporters since the controversy emerged. 'I don't define myself by the criticism, but I understand it's a part of this because this issue is definitely polarizing. I am just focusing on the support that I got which was deep and wide and greatly appreciated.
'I felt pretty good for the most part,' he added. 'I feel like I played fairly solid.'
The star quarterback came under fire after he appeared on the Pat McAfee show two weeks ago to speak publicly for the first time since his positive test
Last August, Rodgers said he was 'immunized' and repeatedly did not wear a mask in settings in which they would be appropriate, according to NBC.
Rodgers chose his words carefully when speaking about the vaccine at training camp back in August. Instead of saying he was 'vaccinated,' Rodgers said he was 'immunized,' which some presumed to mean that he had received the injection.
However, Rodgers may have meant that he had COVID-19 antibodies from a previous infection.
He was placed on the NFL's COVID-19/reserve list last week and was forced to sit out Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs, which the high-scoring Packers ended up losing 13-7.
Rodgers has maintained that he is not 'anti-vax' in general but that it wasn't the right decision for him, adding how he believes he is in the 'crosshairs of the woke mob right now.'
Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show last week, Rodgers said he had declared himself to be 'immunized' at the press conference because he had undergone alternative treatment to raise his immunity in the hope that the NFL would consider him vaccinated, but was ultimately unsuccessful.
The revelation prompted outrage, with Hall of Famer and six-time National Basketball Association MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar writing that Rodgers had undermined the credibility of all athletes.
'What's especially bothersome is that Aaron Rodgers didn't just lie and threaten the health of those around him, he also damaged professional sports,' Abdul-Jabbar wrote on his personal website.
Bob Dorfman, the creative director at Pinnacle Advertising, said Rodgers had done significant damage to his potential for sponsors.
'If you lie about being vaccinated... how can you be believable as a product spokesperson?' said Dorfman.
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