Aaron Rodgers regrets telling reporters he was "immunized" to COVID-19 during the 2021 NFL season.
While the NFL didn't suspend or postpone any of its seasons, it still had regulations in place for unvaccinated players. Rodgers fell under that category, although he didn't disclose that information initially.
Instead, Rodgers told the media that he was "immunized" rather than saying vaccinated, which led to confusion and public opinion of the QB changing. Three years later, he said he regrets his word choice.
Here's why he changed his mind heading into the 2024 NFL season with the Jets.
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Why Aaron Rodgers regrets his COVID-19 'immunized' comment
If Rodgers could go back in time, he would have worded his 2021 "immunized" statement differently. He opened up about the situation and the backlash that ensued in Ian O'Connor's biography of Rodgers.
"If there's one thing I wish could have gone different, it's that, because that's the only thing [critics] could hit me with," Rodgers said in the book, via ESPN.
Rodgers is standing strong on his belief that his holistic approach to COVID-19 did grant him immunization from the virus. He did not want to receive the vaccination. His regret stems from using the word "immunized" since the media harped on him in the following months and years.
The problem evolved into a greater beast in November 2021, a few months after his "immunized" statement. Rodgers contracted the COVID-19 virus despite his claim to have immunization.
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It was then revealed that Rodgers didn't have the vaccine, which subjected him to the NFL's COVID-19 restrictions. He appealed this decision, saying his holistic medicine should be validated in place of the vaccine.
"I had an immunization card from my holistic doctor, which looked similar," Rodgers told O'Connor. "I wasn't trying to pawn it off as a vaccine card, but I said, 'Listen, here's my protocol. Here's what you can follow to look this up.' And it was an ongoing appeal. So, if I had just said [I was unvaccinated] in the moment, there's no chance that the appeal would have been handled the exact same way."
"Out of the Darkness: The Mystery of Aaron Rodgers" will hit the shelves on Tuesday, Aug. 20.