State Farm Insurance on Monday voiced support for its longtime commercial spokesman, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who drew widespread criticism because of his anti-vaccine comments.
The insurer stood by Rodgers after he tested positive for COVID-19 last week and missed Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs, according to a statement issued to USA Today and The Washington Post.
The Super Bowl-winning quarterback was quarantined for a minimum of 10 days under the NFL rules following the positive test. The league revealed it considered him unvaccinated, which came as a surprise to many in light of comments from August when Rodgers told reporters, “Yeah, I’ve been immunized.”
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During a 46-minute appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, which aired Friday, he portrayed himself as a victim of the “woke mob” and “cancel culture” while making a series of inaccurate and misleading comments about COVID-19, immunity from the contagion and the effectiveness of vaccines.
The comments prompted a storm of criticism from health experts, NFL fans and sports media commentators, who claimed his stance could lead his fans into harmful health decisions and promote the spread of the virus.
In response, one of Aaron’s commercial sponsors, Wisconsin-based health provider Prevea Health, dropped him as a spokesman during the weekend.
“Prevea Health remains deeply committed to protecting its patients, staff, providers and communities amidst the COVID-19 pandemic,” it said in a Twitter post. “This includes encouraging and helping all eligible populations to become vaccinated against COVID-19 to prevent the virus from further significantly impacting lives and livelihoods.”
But State Farm, whose commercials have turned Rodgers into a ubiquitous presence on U.S. sports telecasts, remained committed to its television spokesman.
“Aaron Rodgers has been a great ambassador for our company for much of the past decade,” a company spokeswoman said.
“We don’t support some of the statements that he has made, but we respect his right to have his own personal point of view. We recognize our customers, employees, agents and brand ambassadors come from all walks of life, with differing viewpoints on many issues. Our mission at State Farm is to support safer, stronger communities. To that end, we encourage vaccinations, but respect everyone’s right to make a choice based on their personal circumstances.”
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State Farm, State Rights, State Truth…..I may not agree with what you said, but will defend to the death your right to say it. Traditional fighting American
Tell lies, tell fabrications, silence your opponents by any means necessary and make others die by inches then miles in loss of freedoms taken away by the State,,,Traditional Communist /socialist game plan of cowards who must first eleiminate the brave before being able to take over. Sorry guys, this is not the Soviet union in 1917, and we are not unarmed peasants. Truth is our most powerful weapon,,,,so is the 2nd ammendment.
AMEN to that!!!
Wow.. A company finally GREW A SPINE..
WOnders will never cease.
The reign of the Socialist Democrat Party State is in effect.
The “Socialist Democrat Party State” political officers, Gestapo, Woke and Cancel Culture are just getting started.
You will obey, be loyal and support the policies of the “Socialist Democrat Party State” or you will be classified as “Enemies of the State”. 🙁 🙁 🙁
I’m an enemy…………….period!
Spot On Scruffy!
We have been State Farm customers for many, many years. We support your decision!
Longtime State Farm customers here too. We’ve been very pleased with them for insurance and I really appreciate this decision. Now, to see if they stand firm in the face of the woke mob that’s coming for them.
I barely recognize my America these days. I am no longer an NFL fan and really don’t know anything about Aaron Rodgers. What I support in this decision is the right to have a personal opinion and the right to make a personal health choice. We are losing these rights before our eyes.
I knew Biden would be a bad president but even I didn’t know he would be this bad.
Worse than obama. Jimmy is now 3rd.
I HOPE to hell they hold their line.
The original writer of this article states, “…he [Rogers] portrayed himself as a victim of the “woke mob” and “cancel culture” while making a series of inaccurate and misleading comments about COVID-19, immunity from the contagion and the effectiveness of vaccines.”
He HAS been made a victim, and the woke mob and cancel culture will continue to attack him and try to drive him into submission as is their mode of operation. Fortunately, he is principled and is sticking to his guns. Credit to State Farm (my insurance company for 46 years) for supporting Rogers and his right to express his opinions.
I would love to know what the writer thinks are inaccurate and misleading comments. Tipping his/her biases, you think?
Yes indeed. Kudos to State Farm for their decision. I’d like to think it was my email and phone call that influenced them. The reality is that I was probably a cast of thousands.
In this day and age -imagine the courage -a national –international business had the integrity to stand up for american principles
when others have folded like cheap umbrellas and caved to the idiot left-
State farm I salute you-now please have the fortitude to continue this stance-
our freedoms are being eroded and stolen every day by the communist forces being injected into the life blood of america-
AMERICA -first–last-and always-
Rogers’ comments were NOT anti-vax. They were pro-social, and pro-civil rights.
MERELY Questioning the vax, is being anti-vax. The other day, i listened to a woman, who suffers a # of medical issues (including cerebal palzy), and merely ASKED a local doc at a town hall about whether ‘it was safe for folks like here, to get the shot’, and you should have HEARD the venom directed her way, for DARING TO QUESTION the vax… “HOW DARE YOU”….
Hmmm. Interesting. It appears State Farm has changed its mind. The first reports I heard were that State Farm was drastically reducing the use of Rodgers in their commercials. It seems that someone in the advertising department stuck their proverbial finger in the air and determined which way the wind was blowing. It would be nice if more of these mega corporate idiot CEOs took the time to do the same. Are you listening Mr. Phelps (President of NASCAR).
nfl is not an American institute it is a liberal pleasing money grabber that all Americans should avoid. Did these fans forget that the nfl believes in kneeling for our flag and playing some black national anthem?
As i have remarked in a # of other articles. TOO MANY Americans seem addicted to their sports fix… SO yes, they HAVE forgotten about all the idiocy the left has pushed into the NFL, NBA etc… EITHER that, or they are JUST AS leftist AS the NFL they are watching.
Where are all the NFL players who kneel against the flag, what a bunch of idiots Rogers is doing what the flag stand for Freedom of the people against government control of your rights