The NFL has implemented a seemingly endless list of COVID-19 protocols in hopes of preventing the spread of the disease, and Aaron Rodgers wonders whether or not some of them are necessary.
Rodgers was asked about the coronavirus guidelines during his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” Tuesday. The Green Bay Packers star emphasized that he is not trying to downplay the protocols, but he wonders how much of what the NFL is doing is based in science.
“I think there’s a lot of questions of are we doing all this based on science and it’s all necessary?” Rodgers said. “There are some interesting conversations to be had down the line about all of that. … I’m just wondering what is this based on.”
Rodgers went into some specifics. He questioned why players are allowed to interact and shake hands after games but need plexiglass between lockers and can’t eat lunch together. The two-time NFL MVP feels some of the protocols are “definitely for the optics of it.”
“I think there’s some double standards — you can dap up a guy after the game but you can’t eat at the same lunch table as a teammate,” Rodgers said. “You can go down to practice and hit each other and be in close contact but you have to have plexiglass between you and the guy next to you in the locker room. Some of those things to me don’t really add up.”
If you remember, Rodgers hinted months ago that he is not in favor of stay-at-home orders during the pandemic. It’s no surprise he feels similarly about some of the NFL’s protocols.
The NFL has issued some harsh disciplinary action against teams and coaches for not following COVID-19 protocols. One team owner unloaded on the league over the punishment this week.
You can hear Rodgers’ full comments below:
"I just think there's some double standards… You can dap up a guy after the game but you can't eat at the same lunch table as a teammate"@AaronRodgers12 on the COVID protocols #PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/7RqyrUgSWQ
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) November 10, 2020
