Rodgers won't play vs. Chiefs after reportedly testing positive
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur announced Wednesday that quarterback Aaron Rodgers won't play Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs after being placed on the COVID-19 reserve, according to Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
Rodgers tested positive for COVID-19 and is unvaccinated, meaning he'll be out for at least 10 days, Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report.
The 37-year-old suggested in August he was vaccinated.
"I've been immunized," Rodgers said before the regular season. "There's guys on the team that haven't been vaccinated. I think it's a personal decision, I'm not gonna judge those guys."
Before reporting for the Packers' training camp in July, Rodgers petitioned the NFL to have an alternate treatment that would allow him to be considered the same as someone who received the vaccines, sources told ESPN's Rob Demovsky.
The quarterback's personal doctor gave him homeopathic treatment to increase his antibody levels and Rodgers asked the NFL to review his status, according to Nick Shook of NFL.com.
However, the league reportedly denied Rodgers' claim, ruling he would be considered unvaccinated.
The NFL announced Wednesday that it will be reviewing whether the Packers failed to properly enforce the league's COVID-19 protocols, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
Rodgers reportedly follows masking protocols while interacting with players and coaches inside the Packers' headquarters, though he doesn't wear a mask during postgame press conferences and weekly media sessions.
LaFleur declined to comment on the vaccination status of his players and coaching staff.
Jordan Love will make his first career start with Rodgers sidelined. The 2020 first-round pick is the only available signal-caller on Green Bay's roster for Week 9, as practice squad quarterback Kurt Benkert also tested positive earlier this week, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
Veteran passer Blake Bortles is expected to sign with Green Bay and serve as Love's backup Sunday, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Rodgers has completed 67.1% of his passes while tossing 17 touchdowns to only three interceptions. The Packers have won seven straight games and enter Week 9 as one of the NFL's hottest teams.
The reigning MVP will be eligible to return as early as Nov. 13 based on the NFL's COVID-19 protocols, per Pelissero. Green Bay is set to face the Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 14.
The Packers are 6-11-1 without Rodgers since he became the starter in 2008, according to ESPN Stats & Info.
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