Rodgers in August told reporters during training camp that he had been “immunized” against the virus, a term that the journalists did not ask him to define further. On Friday, Rodgers said he did not want to take the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines because he had an allergy to an ingredient in them. He was also hesitant about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, he said, because the Food and Drug Administration recommended a temporary pause in administering the company’s shot in the spring because of rare instances of blood clots. Rodgers also said he was wary of the vaccines’ potential effects on fertility, a theory that most medical experts have said is unfounded.
In consultation with medical advisers, Rodgers said, he began an immunization process that the league did not include in its vaccination options. The quarterback petitioned the N.F.L. to approve his plan — for which he said he had gathered over 500 pages of research — but it was denied.
Rodgers said he had followed most of the protocols for unvaccinated players, except for wearing a mask during his weekly news conferences. He also attended a Halloween party maskless with other people, another violation of the protocols.
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Unvaccinated N.F.L. players are subject to more stringent requirements, inside and outside team facilities. They are not supposed to leave hotels when on the road for games; they must work out individually in the weight room, and they cannot use the sauna or eat with teammates. Rodgers said he was also forced to wear a yellow wristband to identify his status.
“Some of the rules are not based in science at all,” Rodgers said. “They’re based purely in trying to out and shame people.”