NFL star Aaron Rodgers caused a stir for refusing to get vaccinated and now his estranged father has weighed in on the controversy.
Ed Rodgers, the estranged father of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, is speaking out following his son’s comments about the COVID-19 vaccines, the New York Post reports.
On Thursday, the Rodgers family patriarch, 66, told USA Today that he supports his 37-year-old son’s choice to look at different forms of treatment instead of getting vaccinated against the novel coronavirus.
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“I think he tried to probably treat himself naturally, like a lot of folks do,” Ed said, according to People.
“And there’s a lot of great natural things out there, which help mitigate the virus. So I’m proud of him. I’m proud he went that route.”
Although Ed hasn’t communicated with Aaron, he said “things are progressing” in regard to their frosty relationship.
“The main thing (is) I just support him,” Ed said.
“I’m proud of him. I trust his judgment and decisions. I think that’s what I would’ve done.”
Aaron’s estrangement from his family has been documented for some time. In fact, when his younger brother, Jordan, appeared on The Bachelorette in 2016, the family’s strained relations became a plot point.
In the months following Jordan’s appearance on the reality TV show, Ed spoke to The New York Times in January 2017 and cryptically stated: “Fame can change things.”
Much has changed for Aaron since those comments were made, including a 2020 MVP award and a new fiancée in actress Shailene Woodley.
Aaron has been at the centre of controversy in recent weeks over comments made about the Covid-19 vaccines.
He said during a November 5 appearance on The Pat McAfee Show he was allergic to an ingredient in the mRNA vaccines (which include Pfizer and Moderna).
He also decided against getting the Johnson & Johnson vaccine because he had heard of friends’ adverse reactions to it.
The quarterback looked to homoeopathic treatment instead to raise his antibody levels, according to NFL.com.
“I believe strongly in bodily autonomy and the ability to make choices for your body, not to have to acquiesce to some woke culture or crazed group of individuals who say you have to do something. Health is not a one-size-fits-all for everybody,” Aaron said on The Pat McAfee Show.
Days after his initial interview, Aaron appeared again on the show, where he addressed the backlash and acknowledged he “misled” the public about his vaccination status.
“I misled some people about my status, which I take full responsibility for those comments,” he said, referencing his remarks in August when he told the media he was “immunised.”
Currently, the 37-year-old is gearing up for his first game since testing positive for COVID-19 earlier this month.
The quarterback was officially activated on Saturday and will take the field Sunday at Lambeau Field against the Seahawks.
This article originally appeared in the New York Post and has been republished with permission.
Originally published as Aaron Rodgers’ estranged father responds to quarterback’s Covid vaccine comments
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