Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said he won’t be one of those celebrities who posts a tone-deaf message to their fans about dealing with life during the global coronavirus pandemic.
“One thing that I haven’t done or will not do is [be] one of those celebs who’s telling you how difficult it is, or stay-in-your-home stuff from a mansion,” Rodgers said on former Packers teammate A.J. Hawk’s podcast this past Friday. “What I do know is that my friends who are small-business owners are really hurting. … There’s real people hurting, so I’m not going sit here in my privilege and tell people from my ivory tower to do this or do that.
“… I will say, let’s all be smart about what we’re doing and what we’re seeing. But man, I know people are hurting and that is way more important to me than some sort of message that I can relate to you. That to me just falls on deaf ears.”
Rodgers, 36, was also asked if he believes the 2020 NFL season may not start in on time because of the pandemic. The 2020 NFL Draft, which is set to take place Thursday, was decided to be held virtually and now teams are beginning to move their preseason program to an online format as well.
“We have to go from ’10 or less’ to 80,000 people,” he said. “That’s a pretty big jump, to start filling the stadiums back up.”
The 15-year Packers QB reportedly leads all NFL starting quarterbacks with a $39.7 million salary in 2020. In December 2018, Rodgers signed a then record-breaking NFL contract extension worth $134 million.
