Story at a glance
- State Farm is maintaining ties with Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers following his positive COVID-19 test and subsequent commentary on vaccination.
- The insurance giant told The Washington Post Rodgers had “been a great ambassador for our company for much of the past decade” even though it does not agree with “some of his statements.”
- “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 company added.
State Farm is maintaining ties with Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers following his positive COVID-19 test and subsequent commentary on vaccination.
The insurance giant told The Washington Post Rodgers had “been a great ambassador for our company for much of the past decade” even though it does not agree with “some of his statements.”
“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,” the company told The Post in a statement.
“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.”
Rodgers, who’s been aligned with the company since 2007, sat out the Packers’ matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday due to the NFL’s coronavirus protocols. Green Bay fell to the Chiefs 13-7.
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The reigning MVP sparked controversy last week after testing positive for the virus and admitting he was unvaccinated after saying at the beginning of the season that he was “immunized.”
Rodgers appeared on the Pat McAfee Show Friday to address the firestorm surrounding his test and told the former Indianapolis Colts punter he’s not “some sort of anti-vax flat-earther” but a critical thinker.
“I believe strongly in bodily autonomy and ability to make choices for your body: Not have to acquiesce to some woke culture or crazed group of individuals who say you have to do something,” he continued. “Health is not a one-size-fits-all for everybody.”
The 37-year-old added that he declined vaccination because he has an allergy to an ingredient in the available mRNA vaccines — although he did not specify which ingredient. He also acknowledged he was concerned about reports of adverse reactions to the Johnson & Johnson vaccines at the time.
The NFL hit back at a separate claim Rodgers made on McAfee’s show that a league doctor told him “it’s impossible for a vaccinated person to get Covid or spread Covid.”
“No doctor from the league or the joint NFL-NFLPA infectious disease consultants communicated with the player,” the NFL said in a statement to Pro Football Talk. “If they had, they certainly would have never said anything like that.”
The fallout continued when Wisconsin health-care provider Prevea Health announced Saturday it was parting ways with Rodgers, who had been a spokesperson for the company since 2012.
“Prevea Health remains deeply committed to protecting its patients, staff, providers and communities amidst the COVID-19 pandemic,” the company said in a statement posted on Twitter. “This includes encouraging and helping all eligible populations to become vaccinated against COVID-19 to prevent the virus from further significantly impacting lives and livelihoods.”
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