State Farm backs Aaron Rodgers over vaccine matter

Aaron Rodgers has faced a great deal of criticism over the past week for his stance on the COVID-19 vaccine, but one of the quarterback’s biggest endorsers is standing behind him amid the backlash.

A spokesperson for State Farm told USA Today’s Christine Brennan on Monday that the insurance company supports Rodgers’ right to have his own opinions and point of view. While State Farm distanced itself from some of the concerns Rodgers expressed about the COVID vaccine, they said they respect the right people have to make a personal choice.

“Aaron Rodgers has been a great ambassador for our company for much of the past decade,” the spokesperson said. “We don’t support some of the statements that he has made, but we respect his right to have his own personal point of view. We recognize our customers, employees, agents and brand ambassadors come from all walks of life, with differing viewpoints on many issues. Our mission at State Farm is to support safer, stronger communities. To that end, we encourage vaccinations, but respect everyone’s right to make a choice based on their personal circumstances.”

The statement may support Rodgers, but the company’s actions seem to tell a different story. Data that was collected over the weekend showed that State Farm dramatically reduced the number of advertisements it ran on Sunday featuring Rodgers. There were far fewer national State Farm ads featuring the Green Bay Packers star than the previous two NFL Sundays.

Rodgers has been accused of misleading people about his vaccination status. He said over the summer that he was “immunized,” which most took to mean he has received the COVID vaccine. However, the 37-year-old was referring to a homeopathic treatment he underwent.

Rodgers, who tested positive for COVID on Wednesday, spoke out against the “woke mob” during an appearance “The Pat McAfee Show.” He was highly critical of the media and said health is a personal choice. Many have taken him to task over that and his admission to violating some of the NFL’s COVID protocols. In fact, he may have violated those protocols by filming a commercial for State Farm.

Photo: Oct 28, 2021; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) reacts against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports