Aaron Rodgers consulted Joe Rogan on how to treat his COVID-19 and blames the 'woke mob' for trying to cancel unvaccinated people

• Aaron Rodgers criticized the "woke mob" in his first public comments since testing positive for COVID-19.
• Rodgers also decried NFL COVID-19 protocols, saying they were "based purely in trying to out and shame people."

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers appeared on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Friday to address his vaccination status for the first time since he tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the week - saying that he consulted with podcaster Joe Rogan for advice on medical treatments.

After Rodgers tested positive for COVID, he was immediately ruled out of Sunday's game against the Chiefs, which revealed that he was unvaccinated according to NFL protocols. That Rodgers was unvaccinated was news to fans of the NFL, as Rodgers had told reporters, "Yeah, I've been immunized," in August when asked directly about his vaccination status.

Speaking with McAfee, Rodgers began by criticizing those who had criticized him.

"I realize I'm in the crosshairs of the woke mob right now, so before my final nail gets put in my cancel culture casket, I think I'd like to set the record straight on so many of the blatant lies that are out there about myself right now," Rodgers said.

"First of all, I didn't lie in the initial press conference. During that time, it was a very - witch hunt that was going on across the league, where everybody in the media was so concerned about who was vaccinated, and who wasn't, and what that meant, and who was being selfish, and who would talk about it, and what it meant if they said it was a personal decision."

"Had there been a follow-up to my statement that I had been immunized, I would have responded with this: I would have said, 'Look, I'm not some sort of anti-vax flat-Earther. I am somebody who is a critical thinker.' You guys know me. I march to the beat of my own drum. I believe strongly in bodily autonomy and the ability to make choices for your body."

Rodgers said he decided against getting a COVID-19 vaccine because he is allergic to an ingredient in the two mRNA vaccines. He didn't get the Johnson and Johnson shot, he added, because he'd "heard of multiple people who had had adverse events" and because the shot's distribution was briefly paused in the spring.

Rodgers did not specify which ingredient in the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines he's allergic. The adverse events that prompted the J&J pause occur in just about 7 per 1 million vaccinated women between 18 and 49 years old, and even less often among men, according to the CDC.

The shot's distribution quickly resumed following the pause.

Rodgers also said he spoke with Rogan about treating COVID-19 after testing positive for the virus earlier this week.

"I've been doing a lot of the stuff that he recommended, in his podcasts and on the phone to me," Rodgers said. "I've been taking monoclonal antibodies, ivermectin, zinc, vitamin C, D, and HCQ [hydroxychloroquine]… And I feel pretty incredible."

Ivermectin is an anti-parasitic drug championed by vaccine skeptics that has not been approved for use to treat COVID-19 by the Food and Drug Administration or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Rodgers had appealed to the league before the start of the season to have an alternate treatment count as being vaccinated against COVID-19. The NFL ruled against him.

Rodgers also spent time in the interview bashing the NFL for its COVID protocols.

"I think some of the rules to me are not based in science at all," Rodgers said. "They're based purely in trying to out and shame people. Like needing to wear a mask at a podium when every person in the room is vaccinated and wearing a mask makes no sense to me. If you got vaccinated to protect yourself from a virus that I don't have as an unvaccinated individual, then why are you worried about anything that I could give you?"

Despite being unvaccinated, Rodgers addressed the media unmasked, unvaccinated, and indoors throughout the season until it came out that he had tested positive for COVID-19.

Rodgers' press conferences could result in fines from the league for breaking COVID protocols, as unvaccinated players are required to be masked at all times while indoors.

You can watch the start of Rodgers' appearance on McAfee's show above, and find the entire interview here.