OPINION: Refreshing to See Rodgers Stand by His Beliefs

The Jets' quarterback's support of vaccine choice and psychedelics shows conviction

© Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com

In a social media age where mainstream acceptance is craved, Aaron Rodgers hasn't caved.

The New York Jets' new quarterback isn't afraid to be himself in spite of any unfair criticism his beliefs may attract.

Rodgers twice displayed his conviction while tackling a pair of polarizing non-football topics this past week — first, on Instagram, and then, on stage at Psychedelic Science 2023. 

In 2021, Dr. Peter Hotez, who pushed hard for COVID vaccine mandates, publicly criticized Rodgers for a "public antivaccine stance."

In reality, this "antivaccine stance" was only a figment of Hotez's imagination. Contrary to the mandate-obsessed doctor's claim, Rodgers never publicly disparaged the merits of vaccination. He was simply an outspoken proponent of COVID vaccine choice. 

As a healthy, low-risk individual, wanting the option of declining a largely untested vaccine is not an "antivaccine stance."

Unfortunately for Hotez, Rodgers hasn't forgotten the unjustified criticism. 

With Hotez back in the news after being challenged to a debate by presidential candidate Robert Kennedy, Rodgers used his Instagram account to throw some shade toward the judgmental doc.

Rodgers (@aaronrodgers12) shared an Instagram "reel" that showed Hotez admitting to unhealthy eating habits during an old appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast. The shared post featured a text overlay that read "@robertfkennedyjr would mop this bum."

Although Hotez interpreted Rodgers's Instagram activity as a personal cheap shot, I saw the former Cal Berkeley quarterback as promoting the ideas of vaccine choice and open, honest debate.

Instagram / @aaronrodgers12

With the NFL likely amongst the parties who would prefer to forget that COVID even happened, nevermind the hypocritical mitigation requirements they once implemented, Rodgers reminds us of the unfounded, irrational criticism that he and other pro choice advocates faced from "experts" such as Hotez.

"Day three of training camp they sent this stooge in and he showed these slides of what your vaccination percentage was as a team. What are you compared to the rest of the league?" said Rodgers as a guest on the Joe Rogan Experience last summer. "And I started asking him question about liability. ‘Oh, I’m not a lawyer.' OK, cool, but you’re in here talking about these different things and you don’t talk about anybody’s personal health issues. There’s zero exemptions, you took out religious exemptions, you took out PEG exemptions, you took out anybody’s ability to have an opinion of I don’t want to do this."

Aaron Rodgers tells Joe Rogan inside information on how the NFL was threatening players with their jobs and paychecks in order to force them to take the COVID vaccine. pic.twitter.com/sylc5Jaix1

— Sean Fracek (@seanfracek) August 28, 2022

In addition to vaccine choice, Rodgers supports the ability to choose alternative medicines in the form of psychedelics.

After showing his support for RFK's bid to debate Hotez, Rodgers attended the Psychedelic Science conference as a speaker. In Colorado, where voters legalized psilocybin mushrooms last year, the 39-year-old Rodgers shared his personal experience with the psychedelic tea ayahuasca.

"When I first did 'aya' in 2020, I remember thinking afterwards, like, I'm going to have to talk about this at some point. Are people ready? How will it be received?" said Rodgers in Denver.

The fact that psychedelics carry a counterculture connotation, and remain illegal in many states, did not stop Rodgers from publicly addressing the taboo topic.

Rodgers's willingness to stand up for his beliefs likely plays well in the locker room. There are teammates who may share Rodgers's views, but don't feel comfortable speaking out in fear of retaliation. 

Players who lacked Rodgers's stature were in danger of losing their jobs if they declined the COVID vaccine.

"Well, it's not only going to affect your day-to-day status on a team, but your ability to get a job, your ability to keep a job, your ability to get a tryout if you get cut from this team," said Rodgers on the JRE podcast.

It's about more than football with Rodgers, who claimed one his favorite spots to frequent in Green Bay was the Barnes and Noble bookstore.

It didn't take long for his new teammates and coaches to recognize their field general's intellectual side.

"Smart as anything," said tight end C.J. Uzomah describing Rodgers during OTAs. "He's very intellectual. His football IQ and his normal IQ are probably the exact same."

Jets' third-year head coach Robert Saleh labeled his starting quarterback as "thoughtful."

"I think he’s one of the more thoughtful athletes that I’ve been around in terms of how caring he is about people and the way he interacts around the building," said Saleh. "Just the way he interacts with his teammates and how comfortable he is in the building in terms of just communicating with people. I think he’s, like I said, he’s a genuine person."

Rodgers's has his beliefs and he isn't afraid to communicate them even when they clash with the mainstream. It's quite refreshing and his teammates likely appreciate that trait more than you may realize.

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