Press secretary Jen Psaki said Friday the White House is against misinformation when asked about celebrities, such as NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who have refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
“You know how we feel about misinformation — we’re against it,” Psaki said when asked by a reporter if she had anything to say to people, such as the Green Bay Packers star, who have promoted “dubious alternatives to vaccines.”
Rodgers last week tested positive for the coronavirus, with news breaking that he had not been vaccinated, despite saying in August that he had “been immunized.”
Following his diagnosis, the reigning NFL MVP defended his decision not to get vaccinated, saying he was allergic to ingredients in the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines and was worried about side effects from the Johnson & Johnson one.
He told the “Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday that he understands his anti-vaccine comments gained national media attention, reiterating that he’s an “athlete and not an activist.” Rodgers also claimed he was a victim of the “woke mob” and “cancel culture” and criticized the NFL’s COVID-19 policies.
The league fined the Packers $300,000 for violating COVID-19 protocols on Tuesday, and fined Rodgers and his teammate Allen Lazard $14,650 each for attending a Halloween party while unvaccinated.
Podcaster Joe Rogan, whose advice Rodgers said he followed about how best to protect himself from getting seriously ill, defended Rodgers, calling him a “f—ing smart dude.”
Other celebrities have called for him to be kicked out of the NFL. Howard Stern called Rodgers a “f—ing liar” on his SiriusXM show, and KISS frontman Gene Simmons blasted unvaccinated Americans, saying, “I don’t care if you play football or not — stay away from evil people who don’t care about your health.”