Jimmy Garoppolo: 49ers QB is vaccinated, in case you were wondering
By Peter Panacy
49ers fans don’t have to wonder or worry if Jimmy Garoppolo will undergo a similar situation as unvaccinated Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has experienced.
Yes, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is a better signal-caller than the San Francisco 49ers‘ Jimmy Garoppolo. No one is questioning that. At all.
But Garoppolo doesn’t have to deal with the ramifications and fallout surrounding Rodgers, who tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week and will subsequently land on the reserve/COVID list and will miss Green Bay’s highly anticipated Week 9 game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The cloud of news surrounding Rodgers has been headache-generating, to put things lightly, including the future Hall of Famer telling reporters he had been “immunized” against the deadly virus.
Not vaccinated, though.
Making things even more headache-like, Rodgers’ subsequent appearance on the Pat McAfee Show probably didn’t paint the quarterback in the best of light either:
In case you want to shortlist the interview, FanSided’s Josh Hill broke down what you need to know:
"“I’m not an anti-vaxx, flat-earther.. I have an allergy to an ingredient that’s in the mRNA vaccines. I found a long term immunization protocol to protect myself & I’m very proud of the research that went into that,” Rodgers told McAfee.He also said that he has been taking Invermectin — the horse medicine that has not been recommended by medical professionals or scientists but has been recommended by Joe Rogan — to treat his infection.In addition to that, Rodgers blamed the ‘woke mob’ for coming after him in the wake of the controversy created by his positive test and the revelation that he is not vaccinated."
OK, whatever. Who cares? Rodgers is on the Packers, and the Niners don’t play the Packers again this season. And depending on your take on the virus and vaccine, perhaps Rodgers is a buffoon or a hero.
Unlike 2020, though, the NFL isn’t making concessions for unvaccinated players, especially those who test positive. Games won’t be delayed because of a team outbreak, as they were in 2020, and unvaccinated players have to follow strict protocols when they’re at team facilities.
Even then, testing positive means at least 10 days away. Period.
So, for Green Bay fans at least, it’ll be the backup quarterback Jordan Love show versus the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes.
Thrilling.
Jimmy Garoppolo confirms to reporters he has been vaccinated
Shortly after news broke Rodgers had tested positive, Garoppolo spoke with reporters and informed them he had indeed received the vaccine.
“I have, yeah,” Garoppolo said. “It’s unfortunate for Aaron.”
Garoppolo clearly wants to stay neutral in this situation, not calling out the Packers quarterback for any decisions on his part. And while Garoppolo’s on-field play has certainly been called into question, as well as a continuation of his injury history, one would conclude Jimmy G doesn’t want to add in the X-factor of potentially coming down with the virus, particularly from an unvaccinated standpoint.
Some will applaud that. Others won’t care. And there’ll be people who criticize him for getting vaccinated, too. Whatever. At least Jimmy G won’t have to receive that kind of odd attention Rodgers is getting now.
According to the latest reports from the NFL’s Player Health & Safety department, 93.7 percent of NFL players have been vaccinated as of Sept. 23.
Garoppolo is in that 93.7 percent. Rodgers is not.
And this story probably won’t go away anytime soon.