November 3, 2021

  • Rob DemovskyESPN Staff Writer

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    • Covered Packers for Greenish Bay Printing-Gazette from 1997-2013
    • Two-time Wisconsin Sportswriter of the Year as selected past the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Clan

Greenish Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has tested positive for COVID-nineteen and volition non play against the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs on Sunday, a source confirmed to ESPN.

The NFL has considered Rodgers as unvaccinated since the beginning of the season, sources confirmed to ESPN and as first reported by NFL Network.

Rodgers was placed on the league's reserve/COVID-19 list along with cornerback Isaac Yiadom on Midweek, and the NFL said information technology would expect into how the Packers have handled the league'due south COVID-nineteen protocols.

Under league protocol, if Rodgers tests positive and is unvaccinated, he must quarantine for a minimum of 10 days and cannot return until November. thirteen at the primeval, if he remains asymptomatic.

Rodgers, 37, had an alternate treatment prior to the start of training camp, sources told ESPN, and he then petitioned the NFL for that treatment to allow him to be considered the same every bit someone who received one of the canonical vaccinations. After a lengthy back-and-forth, the league, the players union and an infectious affliction consultant approved by both parties heard Rodgers' example for an exemption and ruled that he would not become the same consideration and would be considered unvaccinated.

Sources said Rodgers follows masking protocols while interacting with players and coaches within the squad's headquarters at Lambeau Field. However, Rodgers does not wear a mask while in the media auditorium during his weekly and postgame news conferences. The Packers accept put other unvaccinated players on Zoom instead of at in-person media sessions.

The NFL on Wednesday said there were "aware of the current situation in Green Bay" and would be reviewing the affair with the Packers.

"The primary responsibility for enforcement of the COVID protocols within social club facilities rests with each club," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a statement. "Failure to properly enforce the protocols has resulted in bailiwick being assessed confronting individual clubs in the past."

Rodgers, the reigning NFL MVP, said this past August that he was "immunized" when asked about his vaccination status.

"You lot know, at that place's a lot of chat around it, around the league, and a lot of guys who accept made statements and not fabricated statements, owners who have made statements," Rodgers said at the time. "There'south guys on the squad that haven't been vaccinated. I recollect it's a personal decision. I'thou not going to approximate those guys. There are guys that've been vaccinated that have contracted COVID. Information technology's an interesting issue that I think nosotros're going to see played out the unabridged flavor."

He later added: "I think I similar to learn virtually everything that I'k doing, and there was a lot of inquiry that fifty-fifty went into that. But like I said, at that place'southward been people that have tested positive, and I retrieve it'due south just vaccinated people here. It's going to be interesting to see how things work moving forward. Evidently there could be some problems with vaccinated people just testing every couple weeks and then non-vaccinated testing every mean solar day."

Packers coach Matt LaFleur on Wednesday would not comment on whatsoever player or coach's vaccination status. He was asked whether Rodgers' use of the give-and-take "immunized" may have been misleading.

"That'south a neat question for Aaron," LaFleur said. "I'thou non going to annotate on it."

LaFleur said he did not know if Rodgers had whatever symptoms and talked to him only briefly on Wednesday.

Jordan Dear is in line to make his first career commencement against Kansas Metropolis in Rodgers' absenteeism.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes wished a quick recovery for Rodgers.

"It'southward definitely disappointing," Mahomes said about non facing off against Rodgers on Dominicus. "I've watched his game for a long fourth dimension. I experience I play a similar way. Yous ever desire to compete against the best. Hopefully he's healthy and it's non too bad. I'm certain he'll come up dorsum from it stronger than he was earlier.''

Veteran quarterback Blake Bortles is flying to Green Bay on Midweek with the expectation that he volition be signed to the do team and exist eligible for the 53-man roster on Sunday, a source told ESPN'south Adam Schefter.

Bortles was on the Packers' roster this summer until Rodgers reported to grooming camp.

The Packers (7-1) are riding a vii-game winning streak and are tied with the Rams and Cardinals for the all-time record in the NFC.

Rodgers is the Packers' 2nd star player to test positive in the by week. Receiver Davante Adams was out final week considering of a positive test and missed terminal Thursday's win over the Arizona Cardinals. LaFleur is hopeful that Adams tin can return by Th.

Receiver Allen Lazard also missed last week's game afterward being deemed a close contact of Adams. Practice squad quarterback Kurt Benkert on Tuesday tweeted that he had COVID-19 and was later placed on the reserve list. And the team was still without defensive coordinator Joe Barry on Monday because of COVID-xix protocols.

Despite the positive test for Rodgers, LaFleur said the Packers are non currently in the league's intensive protocols, although they have been following many of the masking and distancing rules.

LaFleur besides said he's confident that all protocols have been followed past players and staff throughout the flavor.

"I watch what these guys do," LaFleur said. "I can only speak to our football space, but aye, absolutely. We've got cameras everywhere. I think our guys do an outstanding job with it. And it's simply unfortunate. Information technology'due south not like this thing can't happen to anybody. It'south happened to a lot of people outside of this edifice."

Running back Aaron Jones, whose male parent died Apr 6 from of complications from COVID-nineteen, said he did not question the decisions of teammates concerning the vaccine nor did he call into question Rodgers' leadership.

"I don't call back it's a selfish decision [to non be vaccinated]," Jones said. "I mean, in that location'south guys across the league who are not vaccinated. And to say that they're non committed to their squad, I think that that's not true. He's our leader, similar you said. He's 100% committed to this team, just similar everyone else is in this locker room."

Love got all the No. ane quarterback reps during offseason while Rodgers skipped all team activities.

"Well, we'll find out, right?" LaFleur said when asked if Love was ready to start. "I know he's been working hard every day and I recall [quarterbacks autobus/passing game coordinator] Luke Getsy does a bang-up chore with him, getting him prepared. Certainly the majority of his reps have taken place on the spotter team, merely that'south something that we try to, when we're doing those scout teams in practise, y'all try to take whatever's on the card or whatever play that they're running and put information technology into our terms to help the development procedure. So, I know he takes every rep very seriously."

The line for Sunday's game has moved drastically at Caesars Sportsbook. The Chiefs had opened as two ½-bespeak favorites, which had dropped to selection 'em every bit of Wednesday forenoon. However, subsequently the news of Rodgers' positive test, the Chiefs are at present 8-bespeak favorites with a total of 48 points scored, downwardly from what had been 55 points as of Dominicus.