Antonio Brown became one of a couple other players who was suspended by the NFL for lying about their vaccine status or breaking NFL covid protocols.
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Earlier, reports had come out claiming that Antonio Brown had faked his vaccination status. Those reports were fueled by screenshots between Brown’s girlfriend and his chef which showed that Brown was agreeing to pay for a fake vaccination card.
Before the NFL took any official action, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers dealt with the matters their own way and suspended Brown for three games. The Bucs also suspended backup safety Mike Edward and free agent John Franklin III was also suspended.
#Bucs WR Antonio Brown and Mike Edwards have each been suspended without pay for the next three games for misrepresenting their vaccination status under the NFL-NFLPA COVID-19 Protocol. They have accepted the discipline and waived their right of appeal.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 2, 2021
Ryan Clark tries to explain why Antonio Brown was suspended but Aaron Rodgers wasn’t
Brown’s suspension is making rounds because of reasons you’d expect. After all, he did lie about his vaccination status, and given the current climate with the pandemic, that’s a serious infraction.
Just a few weeks ago, however, something very similar happened with another high profile player. Aaron Rodgers contracted Covid-19, and reports revealed that he too had lied about his vaccine status.
In the summer, Rodgers had led the media to believe that he had been vaccinated because he said that he was “immunized.” That meant a completely different than people would have thought it did as Rodgers was trying to push the league to adopt an homeopathic treatment as an acceptable alternate to the vaccine.
The league declined, and we were in the midst of a controversy. Rodgers was under fire for his actions as he was repeatedly violating league rules by acting out of line as an unvaccinated player. However, unlike Brown, Rodgers was not suspended and didn’t receive any punishment. With Brown being suspended now, people are absolutely livid, wondering why Rodgers wasn’t subject to the same punishment.
Former NFL safety and current NFL analyst Ryan Clark tried to justify why this was the case and tried to dispell the notion that Brown’s suspension was racially charged.
Very simple. AB unfortunately deceived the NFL, and the Bucs. Rodgers’ status was known to the NFL & the Packers’. He just duped the media. Different situations.. different offenses. This isn’t about race. Just rules https://t.co/4BUFBYwz15
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) December 2, 2021
Of course, people had their rebuttals to this too.
Not true though RC. He carried himself on the field and in spaces where he was seen as if he was vaccinated. The John Wick party, no mask, in person press run, no mask, sideline, no mask
— Ippo’s Right Hook (@Coach_Freezy) December 2, 2021
Rodgers did violate protocol by going unmasked for in-person press interviews for weeks. His deception wasn’t to teammates but it was to members of the press that he shared space with.
— Karida Griffith (@KaridaGriffith) December 2, 2021
