Aaron Rodgers is a lightning rod for controversy, and easily one of his most questionable comments came back during the COVID-19 pandemic when he refused to get vaccinated against the virus, claiming that he was “immunized” from the disease. Given the damage COVID had caused on our society, it's safe to say those comments didn't go over too well.

While he was still on the Green Bay Packers during this time, Rodgers' comments have stuck with him to this day. In a biography about him titled “Out of the Darkness: The Mystery of Aaron Rodgers,” the star quarterback said he wished he never spoke out about his immunization, because it's the only ammunition his critics had against him.

“If there's one thing I wish could have gone different, it's that, because that's the only thing [critics] could hit me with. But if I could do it again, I would have said [in August], ‘F— the appeal. I'm just going to tell them I'm allergic to PEG, I'm not getting Johnson & Johnson, I'm not going to be vaxxed.'”

“I had an immunization card from my holistic doctor, which looked similar. I wasn't trying to pawn it off as a vaccine card, but I said, ‘Listen, here's my protocol. Here's what you can follow to look this up.' And it was an ongoing appeal. So, if I had just said [I was unvaccinated] in the moment, there's no chance that the appeal would have been handled the exact same way.” – Aaron Rodgers, Out of the Darkness: The Mystery of Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers walks back immunized comments

Aaron Rodgers at the end of the game as the Washington Commanders came to MetLife Stadium to play the New York Jets in the first preseason game of the 2024 season.
Mandatory Credit: Chris Pedota-USA TODAY NETWORK
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Rodgers doesn't seem to regret not getting vaccinated against COVID-19, but rather that he publicly explained his rationale for not doing so. In the process, he exposed himself to a wave of criticism that he still faces to this day, and it's simply created too much of a headache for him to deal with over the past few years.

Regardless of your views on Rodgers' vaccination decision, it's interesting to see he regrets discussing the situation, simply because of the storm it has created for him. Hopefully, the main subject of discussion surrounding Rodgers moving forward will be about football, because his first season with the Jets left quite a bit to be desired.