Last week, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers appeared on The Pat McAfee Show to address the whole “tested positive for COVID-19 and lied about being vaccinated” thing. Rodgers used the opportunity to complain about the “woke mob” and “cancel culture,” boast about “doing his own research,” lob the perennial “If the vaccine is so great, why can vaccinated people still get COVID?” question, and actually say out loud that he had taken medical advice from—you guessed it—Joe Rogan. Oh, and he admitted to taking ivermectin and he paraphrased Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. You can read it all HERE, and/or watch it below:

On Tuesday, Rodgers made a follow-up appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. At least in attitude, it was a huge 180 from Friday’s combative/defensive appearance. Rodgers said he felt good. Rodgers took “full responsibility” for his “misleading comments” on being vaccinated. Rodgers stood by his choice to remain unvaccinated (and gave Joe Rogan another shout-out), but made it clear he was ready to move on. “I’m an athlete, I’m not an activist,” he said at one point. All while wearing a Rise Of Skywalker hoodie.

Here’s more of what he said:


I’m feeling really good. I’m definitely fortunate to have the type of care that I’ve been able to have. I know it’s special and it has helped me get through this better. I also know that it hasn’t been like that for everybody. This is a difficult time for so many people dealing with COVID, and it’s been a tough two years for a lot of people.

This has definitely been a time of a lot of reflection. I’ve had time to think about a lot of things in my silence here, my quarantine. I’m obviously in Green Bay and not in L.A. as was reported. I have been at my house for my quarantine. But, jokes aside, I understand that people are suffering and this has been a really difficult time for the last two years on so many people. I think we all know individuals who have lost lives personally, people who’ve lost their businesses, their livelihoods, their way of life has been altered completely. And I empathize with those things, and I also know how sports can be such a connector, and bring people together in times of adversity. And I do realize that I am a role model to a lot of people. And so I just wanted to start off this show by acknowledging that, you know, 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.

I’m excited about feeling better. I’m excited about moving forward and hopefully getting back on my team, and getting back to doing what I do best, and that’s playing ball. It’s been tough to be away from it. I’ve been obviously dealing with the COVID, and I feel like I’m on the other side of it, thankfully, and I’m thankful to still be able to have something to look forward to this weekend, hopefully.

[…]

I’m definitely excited that football is in the conversation. I’m not just gonna gloss over the last few days. People that know me know this is true, that I’m not spending time reading things that are out there. I know that there’s a lot of stuff out there. I know that there’s been a lot of comments said. I understand that this issue in general is very charging to a lot of people because we’re talking about public health. And I totally respect that. I made a decision that was in the best interest based on consulting with my doctors. And I understand that that not everybody’s going to understand that necessarily, but I respect everybody’s opinion.

McAfee: Doctors that you consulted with. Dr. Joe Rogan and which other doctors?

Rodgers [laughs]: I have a lot of admiration for Joe. I definitely talked with about a dozen friends of mine who dealt with COVID and they all were very helpful in different ways, Joe being one of them. But again, that’s the society we’re in. I have no judgment. Hate is not going to bring us out of this pandemic. It’s going to be connecting and love, and I’m not going to hate on anybody that has said things about me. I believe everybody’s entitled to their opinion. And I always will believe that. I think that it’s a time to move forward for me and talk about football.

I’m thankful again to be on the other side of this and to be healthy and coming out of this because not many people…there’s been a number of people who haven’t been able to overcome COVID. I empathize with anybody in those situations. I’ve tried to help out in ways where it made sense, not just in Green Bay, but in northern California. It’s been a tough time for a lot of people, and a good time for reflection for me personally.

[…]

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, but further comments I’m gonna keep between myself and my doctors. I don’t have any further comments about any of those things after this interview.

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Matt Wild weighs between 140 and 145 pounds. He lives on Milwaukee's east side.