All things considered, Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers got off relatively easily after the quarterback's recent COVID-19 vaccine fiasco.
Rodgers was caught misrepresenting his vaccination status and also reportedly violated protocols meant for unvaccinated players, actively refusing to wear a mask when deemed necessary and conducting off-field interactions not allowed for unvaccinated players.
The Packers were slapped with a $300,000 fine while Aaron Rodgers escaped with a measly $15,000 fine himself. No suspension or further punishment beyond that.
According to a report from CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora, the relatively light penalties against the Packers have many around the league irate at what feels like “preferential treatment” for a marquee NFL franchise. La Canfora even quoted a handful of league officials and team reps on the matter. They all sang the same tune, irate at the light sentencing against Green Bay.
Via CBS Sports:
“If I was the Raiders, or the Saints, I would be irate,” said one league official, noting franchises that faced far steeper sanctions for violations last year. “Of course, the clubs aren't happy. They shouldn't be.”
One high ranking team official with a team said: “Everyone's reaction was pretty much the same. It's a joke. It's the league taking care of (Packers team president) Mark Murphy. It's not really a surprise, but it's total BS.”
Another top executive with an NFL team said: “Different set of rules for the Packers. They take care of Mark Murphy.”
One NFL coach offered: “You think they would let us off like that if (that team's quarterback) did that? No (expletive) way.”
“Not a good look,” another league source said. “It looks like preferential treatment.”
The report, however, states that the Packers were “highly cooperative” as the league looked into matters, which played a role in consideration for their penalty. Not all teams were as cooperative in such investigations in the past.
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