Aaron Rodgers says he's not vaccinated and follows Joe Rogan's advice

Joe Rogan, popular podcast host, has covid-19 0:52

(CNN) -

Green Bay Packers star quarterback Aaron Rodgers confirmed that he is not vaccinated against COVID-19 and that he is disappointed in how the media is treating him, in his recent appearance this Friday on The Pat McAfee Show.

"I realize right now I'm in the crosshairs of the 'woke people,'" Rodgers said.

"So before you put the last nail in my coffin of cancellation culture, I think I'd like to clear up a lot of the outright lies about me."

Rodgers said the media was on a "witch hunt" to find out which players were vaccinated and blamed reporters for the confusion after he said he was "immunized" in August.

While speaking to McAfee on his SiriusXM show, the three-time "Most Valuable Player" (MVP) echoed some confusing ideas about COVID-19 and said he consulted with podcast host Joe Rogan on how to cope with a coronavirus infection.

The quarterback, who has led Green Bay to a 7-1 record, will not play in the Packers' game against the Kansas City Chiefs this weekend due to covid-19 protocols, the head coach announced Wednesday. of the team, Matt LaFleur.

Rodgers, 37, said that if a reporter had asked him a follow-up question, he would have explained that "he is not an anti-vaccine who thinks the Earth is flat" but is a "critical thinker."

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Rogers added that he has followed strict NFL protocols for unvaccinated players to the letter.

Rodgers described the daily tests he undergoes every day, even on his days off, and believes the rules were imposed to put unvaccinated people to shame.

Rodgers said he has undergone more than 300 tests before testing positive this week.

Rodgers said he experienced some mild symptoms for about 48 hours, but is currently "feeling great."

He was not sure when he would play again or the protocols that have been established for him now that he has tested positive for the coronavirus.

The quarterback followed Joe Rogan's advice

Rodgers said he consulted with podcast host Joe Rogan and followed his advice on how to treat his own COVID-19.

• Controversial podcast host Joe Rogan says he tested positive for COVID-19

"I consulted with a now good friend, Joe Rogan, after he had covid, and I have many of the things that he recommended to me on his podcast and on the phone," Rodgers said.

"Now I am going to have the best immunity possible, based on the study of 2.5 million people conducted in Israel, according to which people who get COVID and recover have the strongest immunity. I am thankful for people like Joe for stepping up and using his voice. I am thankful for my medical team and all the love and support I have received, but I have been taking monoclonal antibodies, ivermectin, zinc, vitamin C and DHCQ and I feel quite amazing".

Of all of them, only monoclonal antibodies are approved treatments for COVID-19, but they would suffice to explain any improvement in your symptoms.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted that an Israeli study looked at people who had been vaccinated six months earlier or more.

"Understanding infection-induced and vaccine-induced immunity over time is important, especially for future studies to take into account," they wrote.

• Vaccination offers greater protection against covid-19 than infection, according to a CDC study

Rodgers said he did not get vaccinated because he is allergic to an ingredient in Moderna and Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccines and was afraid of potential side effects from the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The athlete said that the decision to seek alternative treatments was "the best for my body."

Rodgers said the NFL knew he was not vaccinated and that he had multiple conversations with NFL doctors, including one in which a doctor told him that "it is impossible for a vaccinated person to get COVID or spread it."

Rodgers told McAfee that he had previously tried to "petition" the league that his homeopathic treatment to increase his antibodies be considered as an alternative to full vaccination through the Moderna, Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

Rodgers continued: "at that point I knew I was definitely not going to win the appeal."

CNN questioned the NFL about this claim and is awaiting comment.

There is no evidence that homeopathic treatments can affect a person's antibodies, experts say.

McAfee, a former NFL player and WWE wrestler turned sportscaster, said on Twitter in August that he tested positive for COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated.

Prevea Health and Aaron Rodgers end their collaboration

Prevea Health and the Green Bay Packers quarterback announced Saturday that they would end their collaboration in a joint statement issued by the company.

"Prevea Health remains deeply committed to protecting its patients, staff, providers, and communities amid the covid-19 pandemic," the company wrote in a statement.

"This includes encouraging and assisting all eligible populations to get vaccinated against COVID-19 to prevent the virus from having a significant impact on lives and livelihoods."

Rodgers has been a spokesperson for Prevea Health, which is based in Green Bay, Wisconsin, since 2012. In 2019, Prevea Health announced that it would extend its relationship with Rodgers for another four years.

"As one of the most respected athletes in the country, Aaron is truly passionate about improving the health and well-being of our communities," said Dr. Ashok Rai, President and CEO of Prevea, in a statement at the time.

Vaccines are better than previous infections, according to the CDC

Those who do not get vaccinated will be infected, according to infectologist 4:03

Rodgers said that "vaccines offer some protection, but there are a lot of things we don't know about them. ... Natural immunity has a lot to do with it. ... If you got COVID and recovered, that's the best booster for immunity you may have. "

Rodgers is not wrong in thinking that people who have recovered from COVID-19 have some immunity, but it is not nearly the same as vaccinated people.

A team of researchers led by the CDC reported in October that vaccination protects people against coronavirus infection much better than a previous infection.

Their study found that people who had not been vaccinated and ended up in the hospital were five times more likely to have COVID-19 than people who had been vaccinated in the past three to six months.

"All eligible individuals should be vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible, including unvaccinated individuals who have previously been infected with SARS-CoV-2," the researchers wrote in the CDC's weekly report, the MMWR.

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Rodgers expresses his doubts

The Green Bay quarterback paraphrased the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in explaining his position: "The great MLK said that 'you have a moral obligation to oppose unjust rules and those that do not make sense.'

Rodgers said that certain strict NFL protocols were not based on science, noting that if you tested negative for COVID-19 every day and were surrounded by vaccinated people, why should you be "embarrassed" to wear a mask? at the Packers facility.

In August, Rodgers was asked if he had received the Covid-19 vaccine.

Rodgers said he had been "immunized."

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"There's a lot of conversation around this, around the league, and a lot of guys who have made statements and have not made statements," Rodgers said.

"The owners have made statements. There are guys in the team who have not been vaccinated. I think it is a personal decision. I am not going to judge those guys. There are guys who have been vaccinated and have been infected with covid. So it is a interesing theme".

The NFL said it is reviewing the situation.

A spokesperson for the league told CNN in a statement: "The primary responsibility for enforcing covid protocols within club facilities rests with each club."

"Non-compliance with protocols has led to disciplinary action against clubs in the past. The league is aware of the current situation in Green Bay and will review it with the Packers."

Vaccinated players who test positive and remain asymptomatic may return after testing negative twice in a 24-hour period.

Unvaccinated players must be quarantined for 10 days and then submit a negative test to return.

CNN's Steve Almasy and Maggie Fox contributed reporting.

NFL not vaccinated