Aaron Rodgers is back in the spotlight-but this time, not for anything related to football.
While teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers wait on his decision about a potential NFL return, the former New York Jets quarterback made headlines for a very different reason: a controversial appearance on Joe Rogan‘s podcast, where he shared explosive views on public health, vaccines, and government institutions.
Rodgers, known for his skepticism about mainstream medical narratives, took things a step further during the wide-ranging conversation recorded in Austin, Texas. Instead of discussing his uncertain football future, the four-time NFL MVP used his platform to revisit conspiracy theories related to the AIDS pandemic, vaccines, and Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Rodgers suggests HIV was manufactured by U.S. authorities
In one particularly inflammatory moment, Rodgers claimed that the U.S. government deliberately created HIV in the 1980s to profit from the development of treatments and, eventually, a vaccine.
“The blueprint, the game plan, was made in the 80s,” Rodgers said. “Create a pandemic with a virus that’s going wild. Fauci was given over $350 million to research this, to come up with drugs, new or repurposed to handle the AIDS pandemic and all they come up with was AZT.”
He continued, “If you do any research-and I know that I’m not an epidemiologist, I’m not a doctor… I can read, though. I can learn and look things up just like any normal person. I can do my own research, which is so vilified… Question authority. That was the game plan back then.”
Rodgers then linked the historical context to more recent public health debates, including COVID-19, adding: “Back then [it was] AZT, now [it’s] Remdesivir, until we get a vaccine. Which, by the way, Anthony Fauci had a stake in the Moderna vaccine, and we know Pfizer is one of the most criminally corrupt organizations ever.”
Rodgers‘ claims echo long-standing conspiracy theories that have been widely discredited by public health experts. AZT, or zidovudine, was the first drug approved to treat HIV and helped pave the way for antiretroviral therapy that continues to save lives today.
Similarly, there is no credible evidence that HIV was artificially created or that public officials had financial motives in pushing specific treatments during the pandemic.
The quarterback’s appearance has sparked a wave of backlash from medical professionals, journalists, and fans alike, especially given the platform Rogan’s podcast provides.
This isn’t the first time Rodgers has courted controversy over public health issues-his COVID-19 vaccine skepticism and statements about “doing his own research” have drawn scrutiny in the past.
Whether Rodgers decides to return to the NFL or not, his recent comments ensure that the conversation surrounding him will extend far beyond the football field.
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