[ 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. I can’t help but think of Colin Kaepernick...]
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AARON RODGERS DIDN'T JUST LIE  
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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
November 8, 2021
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
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_ 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. I can’t help but think of Colin Kaepernick... _


,

 

Professional athletes have come so far from the dark days when the
public saw them as perpetually partying adolescents, mean-spirited
bullies, and worse: dim-wits one step above tackling dummies on the
evolutionary scale. Today, many players are eloquent spokespersons as
well as admirable athletes. This hard-fought change occurred gradually
over decades as more and more athletes proved themselves to be
passionate and articulate advocates for a better, more inclusive
society.

This shift in public perception is especially important when we
understand how impactful athletes are in influencing our children.
According to a Kaiser Family Foundation study
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children 10-17 years old admire famous athletes second (73 percent)
only to their parents (92 percent). That’s a sacred trust not to be
abused. Unfortunately, the pandemic has revealed several athletes who
abuse their position and responsibility, not just to the public, but
to other professional athletes’ livelihood.

That latest egregious abuser is Green Bay quarterback and three-time
MVP Aaron Rodgers who directly and deliberately lied to fans and the
public when he assured everyone he was “immunized,” knowing that
word would be interpreted as his being vaccinated. He wasn’t
vaccinated. And he got COVID-19. And he went maskless during in-person
press conferences, which not only violated NFL rules
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but put everyone else’s health at risk.

Instead of consulting immunologists, he consulted anti-vaxxer and
podcast host Joe Rogan, who also contracted the virus. If he ever
requires open-heart surgery will he hand the scalpel to romance
writers because they know about matters of the heart? While many who
came into contact with him thought he was vaccinated, Rodgers had
embarked on his own regimen to boost his “natural immunity.” He
failed, as any scientist could have told him—and as they have been
publicly telling us for over a year. University of Michigan
microbiologist Ariangela Kozik explained
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achieving “natural immunity” through these homeopathic methods is
a non-starter because vaccines inform our immune system what the virus
looks like so the body can build its own protection.

Rodgers compounded his lie by adding another lie. While
being interviewed
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the backlash on the _Pat McAfee Show_, he claimed that a league
doctor told him “it would be impossible for a vaccinated person to
catch or spread COVID.” However, the NFL responded by saying no
doctor from the league or consultants from the NFL-NFLPA communicated
with the players. And if they had, they wouldn’t have given such
clear misinformation, which anyone who’s read a newspaper or watched
a legitimate news show would already know. No medical expert claimed
the vaccine prevents getting or transmitting the virus, only that
their chances of spreading it to others or developing severe symptoms
themselves are significantly reduced.

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. Many athletes make a lot of money on product
endorsements, which depends on the public’s favorable perception of
athletes. In 2020, global sports sponsorship
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worth about $57 billion. Yet, every time a pro athlete like Kyrie
Irving (anti-vax), Henry Ruggs (speeding at 156 mph, crashing, and
killing someone), Evander Kane (forging vaccination card), or Aaron
Rodgers does or says something stupid, the public trust in athletes
lowers and sponsors might consider avoiding players in favor of
actors, pop stars, or social media influencers. Steph Curry and LeBron
James don’t have to worry, but some up-and-comers might not get the
same opportunities.

Rodgers’ ignorance regarding the science of immunology brings back
to life the old stereotype of the big dumb jock. His utter lack of
even the most basic knowledge and logic is shocking. In an effort to
defend his lying, he stated
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“This idea that it’s a pandemic of the unvaccinated, it’s just a
total lie … If the vaccine is so great, then how come people are
still getting covid and spreading covid and, unfortunately dying of
covid?” Those two statements don’t even belong together.
Statistics from many sources conclude that around 97 percent of those
being hospitalized or who have died in the past several months are
unvaccinated. The CDC found
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the unvaccinated are 11 times more likely to die than those
vaccinated. If he thinks that’s a lie, what credible evidence does
he have? None.

The second part of his statement that laments the vaccine isn’t that
great because people are still dying and getting sick is staggeringly
illogical. People are still getting COVID—like him and Joe
Rogan—because they _didn’t get vaccinated_. Yes, some people who
have been vaccinated
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also caught it, but a lot fewer of them than the unvaccinated, and
their symptoms are generally more mild. His logic is like someone
having a debt of $50,000 and a friend offers to give them a gift of
$40,000. But they complain that it isn’t the full amount so they
aren’t accepting the gift.

He also claimed he was allergic to ingredients in the vaccine, but
offered no proof, which may be why the NFL denied his petition for
vaccine exemption. Statistically, only 21 out of two million
vaccinated people had severe allergic reactions. He also expressed
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over fertility issues, even though there is a greater risk of
infertility from COVID-19, which he has.

Rodgers complained that the “cancel culture” was coming for him,
but his own words cancel him as a liar and a bad thinker. If he had a
principled objection to the vaccine, he could have chosen not to play,
like Kyrie Irving, who at least is honest. What really sacked his
whining stance was his refusal to wear a mask during interviews to
protect others from sickness and death. That was merely his hubris and
arrogance against what he called the “woke mob
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In this case, woke means compassion and responsibility toward others.
He might also remember that the only reason he is able to play in
front of crowds again is because all those suckers got vaccinated.

What will happen to Aaron Rodgers? Other than the brief suspension
probably very little. He’s a valuable asset to a multi-billion
dollar industry. The deal
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the Packers in 2018 is worth $134 million, plus the $9 million for
commercial endorsements such as the one he has with Adidas, State Farm
Insurance, and others. He has lost one endorsement: Prevea Health, a
health care provider, cancelled their contract because his actions
were contrary to their commitment to encourage vaccines to end the
pandemic. When Rodgers signed with the company in 2019, Dr. Ashok Rai,
president and CEO of Prevea, remarked
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the time, “As one of the most respected athletes in the country,
Aaron is truly passionate about improving the health and wellness of
our communities.” That, too, turned out not to be true.

I can’t help but think of Colin Kaepernick, who was blacklisted by
the NFL for passively expressing his frustration with systemic
racism—a brave act meant to help his community and save
lives—while multi-millionaire Rodgers will continue to play, despite
lying to the fans and his teammates and putting innocent lives in
danger. Time will tell whether Rodgers will be judged by the content
of his character or the strength of his throwing arm.

_UPDATE: CHECK OUT KAREEM’S COMMENTARY ON THE AARON RODGERS
CONTROVERSY ON CNN
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_[Who is KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR? You know me—or you wouldn’t be here.
You know that while I was at UCLA, I’m the reason they banned the
slam dunk. You know I broke a lot of records in the NBA, was an NBA
champion 6 times, and was Most Valuable Player 6 times. I still hold
the record for most points scored: 38,387. And I made famous the
Skyhook._

_I’m proud of what I accomplished as an athlete, but I am equally
proud of what I accomplished since leaving the NBA. I’ve applied the
same discipline and dedication to writing that I once applied to
sports. I’ve published articles about sports, politics, and popular
culture in Time, Newsweek, The Washington Post, The New York
Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Hollywood Reporter, and many other
periodicals..]_

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