Aaron Rodgers: Green Bay Packers quarterback set for NFL return after being removed from Covid-19 list

Rodgers, who is unvaccinated, received widespread criticism for telling reporters in August that he was "immunized" when he was asked if he had been vaccinated; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger out of Sunday's clash with Detroit Lions after being placed on Covid-19 list

Sunday 14 November 2021 08:10, UK

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was removed from the NFL's reserve/Covid-19 list on Saturday, clearing the way for the three-time most valuable player to play against the Seattle Seahawks.

Rodgers, who is unvaccinated, tested positive for Covid-19 last week and received widespread criticism for telling reporters in August that he was "immunized" when he was asked if he had been vaccinated.

The 37-year-old quarterback sat out the Packers' loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday due to league Covid-19 protocols, which call for a mandatory 10-day quarantine period for unvaccinated players who test positive.

Green Bay (7-2) are scheduled to host the Seahawks (3-5) on Sunday, live on Sky Sports.

The Packers did not say whether Rodgers would be the starting quarterback, only that he had been activated off the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Rodgers said he has an allergy to an ingredient in the mRNA vaccines produced by Pfizer, BioNTech, and Moderna Inc and so he declined to take those. He did not take the Johnson & Johnson vaccine due to concerns about side effects, he said.

The NFL on Wednesday fined the Packers $300,000 and two players, including Rodgers, $14,650 each for violating Covid-19 protocols.

Roethlisberger ruled out of Lions game

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be placed on the reserve/Covid-19 list and has been ruled out of Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions.

The Steelers announced Saturday night that Mason Rudolph will get the start in place of Roethlisberger. Dwayne Haskins will back up Rudolph.

Roethlisberger has said in the past that he's vaccinated, which implies he caught the virus in a breakthrough case.

The Steelers (5-3) have won four games in a row. The Lions are winless.

Roethlisberger, 39, has completed 65.6 percent of his passes for 1,986 yards and 10 touchdowns against four interceptions.

Rudolph, 26, has not appeared in a game this season. He played in five games (one start) in 2020, completing 58.1 percent of his passes for 324 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception.