The NFL did not come down very hard on Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. The future Hall of Fame quarterback tested positive for COVID-19 last week. In the days that followed, it was revealed that he had not been very forthcoming to fans and the media regarding his vaccination status. Furthermore, the NFL knew about it. As a result of his positive test, and several violations of protocol, the Packers were fined $300,000. Additionally, Aaron Rodgers and Allen Lazard were fined $14,650 each. The punishment was, indeed, very light. Known Packers hater Mike Florio and other league execs had this to say about the NFL’s actions:
The slap on the wrist for the Packers and Aaron Rodgers for multiple blatant violations of the COVID protocol isn't going over well in league circles; as one source with another team said, "That's bullshit." https://t.co/tKOfm0t5th
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) November 10, 2021
Reaction Around the NFL According to Florio
According to Mike Florio, other teams around the NFL are not happy with the Green Bay Packers or the NFL. In their opinion, the punishment is too lenient. One of Florio’s sources compared it to shoplifting. In their example, it would be like a person being caught shoplifting after the authorities knew about 16 prior shoplifting crimes committed by that individual. Instead of punishing that person for all of their crimes, they would be punished for just one.
The violations the source referenced are the multiple occasions in which Aaron Rodgers did not wear a mask during interviews. The instance for which he was fined was the Halloween party which he attended as John Wick.
Skip Bayless Joins in the Criticism
Another constant critic of the Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers is Skip Bayless. Bayless took to Twitter to voice his displeasure with the NFL, Packers, and Aaron Rodgers.
Packers and their lying QB get nothing more than fined for COVID violations? No lost draft picks? Rodgers not suspended for a game? Fines are nothing. Rodgers just got away with lying about vax and putting so many at risk by not wearing a mask.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) November 10, 2021
Of course, maybe the NFL couldn't come down hard on Packers/Rodgers because the NFL knew he wasn't vaccinated and that he wasn't wearing a mask during interviews, games (on sidelines) & postgames (on field). The NFL did not call him on it. It looked the other way. Complicit.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) November 10, 2021
Do They Have a Right to Be Upset?
No matter what an individual’s stance is on mask mandates or vaccines, the fact of the matter is that Aaron Rodgers and the Packers did break the rules. However, they are not the only ones. Minnesota Vikings (Florio’s favorite team, by the way) quarterback Kirk Cousins is not vaccinated and does not wear a mask in his press conferences. Carson Wentz of the Indianapolis Colts also is not vaccinated and has appeared before the media unmasked.
Teams may have a right to be upset with the NFL for knowing about the Rodgers’ situation and doing nothing until they were forced. However, the lack of punishment for other teams who are also blatantly disregarding protocol points to a bigger problem, and it’s not just with the Packers. Obviously, the NFL does not take its own protocols very seriously, or else the Packers and other teams and players would have been disciplined months ago.
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