Aaron Rodgers COVID Saga Continues: Green Bay Packers Can Still Guide Green Bay to Super Bowl Glory
When it comes to generating material for sports reporters to cover, Aaron Rodgers is very much the gift that keeps giving. After a summer of 'will he, won't he' in terms of possibly leaving the Green Bay Packers, the veteran quarterback got back to let his game do the talking for a few weeks at least….
Then came the furor about his status in relation to being vaccinated against the coronavirus; it turns out he isn't. Back in August, Rodgers had stated in interviews that he had been "immunized," and he had sought an exemption due to his antibody levels, and that had been denied.
This has led to the 37-year-old, and his team, being fined though it's important to note that he hasn't been suspended, and that's good news for anyone who's placed a bet on the Packers in the futures market. A quick look at odds comparison & sports betting predictions from sidelines shows us that Green Bay is still handily placed at (+1200) for Super Bowl glory, and with Rodgers, seemingly in the clear, that's a bet well worth backing.
Rodgers sat out Green Bay's recent loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, with replacement Jordan Love failing to inspire but should be back having recovered from COVID-19. Last season's NFL MVP has been in solid form in 2021, throwing 17 passing TDs thus far this season, and he'll want to be in play for week 10's clash with the Seattle Seahawks.
As for the backlash for his conduct over his vaccination status, Rodgers has been contrite:
"I shared an opinion that's polarizing,"
"I get it. And I misled some people about my status, which I take full responsibility for, those comments. But in the end, I have to stay true to who I am and what I'm about. I stand behind the things that I said," Rodgers added.
The loss of Rodgers for the Chiefs clash was obvious. Green Bay had seen off the Detroit Lions, the San Francisco 49ers, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Cincinnati Bengals, the Chicago Bears, Washington, and the Arizona Cardinals in a seven-game winning blitz, and the moment he's unavailable, Matt LeFleur's men struggle.
It's a testament to just how important Rodgers is to the Green Bay organization and also goes some way to proving a point.
The nine-time NFL Pro Bowl pick had made his feeling clear about his position at the Packers and how he wanted to be more involved in key decisions, and there was a lot of flak directed at those in positions of power when Jordan Love was brought in, and it certainly looks as if the 23-year-old is some way off being able to wrestle the starting spot from Aaron Rodgers.
Once the media spotlight moves away from Rodgers’ off-field antics and opinions, you can expect the experienced QB to continue to lead a team that is very capable of going long into the postseason and certainly has a decent shot at going all the way.