Mike Fisher, the husband of country music superstar Carrie Underwood, is defending Aaron Rodgers' decision not to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
The former pro hockey star said in an Instagram post over the weekend that he supported the Green Bay Packers quarterback, who came under fire Friday for confirming that he was unvaccinated just days after testing positive for the virus.
"I stand with Aaron Rodgers," read a message in an image Fisher, 41, shared on his Instagram page. In his caption, the former Nashville Predators center said he believes people should have the "freedom" to forgo the vaccination without penalty.
"I believe in the freedom to choose what we put in our bodies and the freedom of conscience. I agree with (Rodgers) in that the science clearly shows the vaccinated spread covid at basically the same rate as the unvaccinated," he wrote.
While it's true that vaccine breakthrough infections can be contagious, Fisher's message is at odds with a recent study published by scientists at the University of Oxford that found that those who are vaccinated against COVID-19 are less likely to spread the virus even if they become infected. The study's results add to a growing body of evidence that vaccines can reduce transmission of the virus. The COVID-19 vaccines have also been proven to prevent infections overall, which also helps to reduce virus spread.
Rodgers, 37, sparked controversy Friday for confirming that he was unvaccinated despite previously making comments that suggested otherwise. The three-time MVP pick addressed the uproar during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on SiriusXM.
Rodgers explained that he opted not to get vaccinated because he's allergic to an ingredient in the the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, and did not want to get the Johnson & Johnson vaccine because he feared experiencing possible adverse effects.
Instead, Rodgers received monoclonal antibodies and took ivermectin, a drug commonly used to deworm animals, to protect him. (Ivermectin is not approved for COVID-19 use by the FDA.)
“Look, I'm not, you know, some sort of anti-vax flat-earther. I am somebody who is a critical thinker,” said Rodgers, adding, “I believe strongly in bodily autonomy and ability to make choices for your body … Health is not a one-size-fits-all for everybody.”
Rodgers also accused a "woke mob" of trying to "cancel" him.
"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. Health is not a one-size-fits-all for everybody," he said.
Prior to the start of the NFL season, Rodgers was asked if he had been vaccinated and he answered that he had been "immunized." He added of unvaccinated players, "I’m not gonna judge those guys," seeming to imply he had undergone a vaccine shot himself.
During his radio interview on Friday, Rodgers denied lying about his vaccination status but conceded that he did not want to answer questions about it.
"Everyone on the squad knew I was not vaccinated. Everyone in the organization knew I wasn’t vaccinated. I wasn’t hiding from anybody," he said. "I was trying to minimize and mitigate having this conversation going on and on.”
As the NFL investigates Rodgers and his team for possibly breaking COVID-19 safety protocols, at least one Pro Football Hall of Famer is blasting Rodgers for his actions.
Terry Bradshaw, a “Fox NFL Sunday” host, criticized Rodgers for lying about his vaccination status during the network’s pregame show on Sunday morning.
“I’d give Aaron Rodgers some advice,” said Bradshaw, 73, during the program, which was broadcast from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. “It would have been nice if he’d just come to the Naval Academy and learned how to be honest. Learned not to lie. Because that’s what you did, Aaron. You lied to everyone.”
“We are a divided nation politically," added Bradshaw. "We are a divided nation on the COVID-19, whether or not to take the vaccine. And unfortunately, we’ve got players that pretty much think only about themselves. And I’m extremely disappointed in the actions of Aaron Rodgers."
Meanwhile, Rodgers' fiancé, "Big Little Lies" star Shailene Woodley, seemingly addressed the media coverage of Rodgers' COVID-19 woes Saturday on Instagram.
Next to a video of a pig getting a bath that she posted in her Instagram stories, Woodley, 29, wrote, "just read somewhere that the media is claiming i deleted an insta story amid the ‘chaos,’” she wrote. “(an astrology post of all things) (not cryptic at all you dummies).”
Woodley pointed out that the popular stories feature on Instagram is designed to self-delete after 24 hours.
“literally lol’ing over here at your determination to make a story out of nothing,” she wrote. “grasping at straws my dears …”