NFL teams furious over league’s ‘bulls–t’ Aaron Rodgers punishment
Some NFL teams reportedly aren’t satisfied with the league’s handling of its investigation into the Packers and quarterback Aaron Rodgers over the violation of COVID-19 protocols.
The NFL fined the Packers $300,000 for not enforcing COVID-19 protocols concerning Rodgers, according to multiple reports. The quarterback and his teammate, wide receiver Allen Lazard, were both fined $14,650 each.
The violations of the league’s investigation included Rodgers not wearing a mask during his news conferences, and Green Bay’s failure to report that Rodgers and Lazard attended a team Halloween party. Unvaccinated players are not allowed to gather in groups of more than three, according to a league rule.
The NFL launched its investigation after Rodgers tested positive for COVID-19 last week, and went on to confirm that he is unvaccinated against the virus.
Other NFL teams are said to be “pissed” about what they feel is an unfair punishment, according to ProFootballTalk, compared to other disciplines the league has handed down to teams and players that have violated COVID-19 protocols.
“That’s bulls–t.” one source told the website.
For instance, Saints coach Sean Payton was fined $100,000 for failing to properly wear a face-covering in Week 2 of the 2020 NFL season. The team was also fined $500,000 last November for a maskless, post-game celebration, and was also docked a draft pick at the time.
The Packers are said to have been warned that future violations could result in a potential change in draft position or the loss of a draft choice, according to ESPN.
Packers president Mark Murphy later addressed the NFL’s investigation in a statement.
“We respect the League’s findings and we recognize the importance of adherence to the COVID protocols to keep our team and organization safe and healthy. We will continue to educate the team regarding the importance of the protocols and remain committed to operating within the protocols,” he said.
As of Wednesday, Rodgers has not publicly reacted to the results of the investigation.
During the quarterback’s weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday, Rodgers sounded optimistic that he could play Sunday against the Seahawks. He also admitted that he “misled” the public in regard to past comments about his vaccination status.
The reigning NFL MVP will finish his 10-day isolation period on Saturday and must clear certain health hurdles before he can be cleared to rejoin the team.