The past week was incredibly wild for Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The star signal-caller was not able to suit up for the Packers' game against the Kansas City Chiefs on the road in Week 9 after testing positive for COVID-19. That would have been the headline about Rodgers, but an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show opened a can of worms and resulted in a loud reaction from the mainstream, including one from Los Angeles Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Kareem brought the heat:
What’s especially bothersome is that Aaron Rodgers didn’t just lie and threaten the health of those around him, he also damaged professional sports. Many athletes make a lot of money on product endorsements, which depends on the public’s favorable perception of athletes. In 2020, global sports sponsorship was worth about $57 billion.
With all the things he said with regards to COVID-19, the efficacy of vaccines against it, and the people he consulted and listened before coming up with the decision not to get jabbed, it's no surprise that the Packers star put a target on his back.
More from KAJ:
Yet, every time a pro athlete like Kyrie Irving (anti-vax), Henry Ruggs (speeding at 156 mph, crashing, and killing someone), Evander Kane (forging vaccination card), or Aaron Rodgers does or says something stupid, the public trust in athletes lowers and sponsors might consider avoiding players in favor of actors, pop stars, or social media influencers. Steph Curry and LeBron James don’t have to worry, but some up-and-comers might not get the same opportunities.
The Packers can only hope that Rodgers will finally listen to true science and get vaccinated soon. In any case, Green Bay's season is strongly tied to the quarterback, who can get back to action as soon as Week 10 against the Seattle Seahawks at home.
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