The NFL has concluded its investigation into the Green Bay Packers' breach of COVID-19 protocols. According to ESPN's Rob Demovsky, the Packers have been fined $300,000 for violations of the NFL and NFLPA protocols. Star quarterback Aaron Rodgers and wide receiver Allen Lazard have been fined $14,650 each. Both players are unvaccinated.
Per Demovsky, violations uncovered included Rodgers not wearing a mask during his press conferences and the team not reporting that Rodgers and Lazard had attended a Halloween party. As NFL Media's Mike Garafolo explained, the get-together wasn't "sanctioned" by the team, but the league determined the Packers should have penalized both players.
The league also found "a few isolated instances" of Rodgers and Lazard failing to wear a mask in the facility. According to Demovsky, the Packers' cooperation during this investigation was taken into consideration when it came to punishment, but the team was warned that future missteps could bring increased discipline like "change in draft position or loss of draft choice."
This all comes after the reigning NFL MVP received serious blowback for his interview on The Pat McAfee Show, in which he defended his decision to not get vaccinated and also claimed the NFL's protocols were not always rooted in science. He publicly admitted to ignoring mask protocol as an unvaccinated player as well.
Less than a week after the initial interview, Rodgers essentially apologized for potentially "misleading" others.
The NFL world is waiting to see where star wideout Odell Beckham Jr. will land after he was released by the Cleveland Browns and went unclaimed on waivers. According to a new report, he's looking to team up with Aaron Rodgers.
On Tuesday afternoon, Jordan Schultz reported that Beckham has "prioritized" the Green Bay Packers as his top destination should he clear waivers, which he then did. The 7-2 Packers would make a lot of sense for the three-time Pro Bowler. While Green Bay has an All-Pro wideout in Davante Adams, the wide receiving corps could be improved. The 31-year-old Randall Cobb is the Packers' No. 2 receiver with 20 catches for 244 yards and four touchdowns. Green Bay also lost its No. 1 tight end, Robert Tonyan, to a torn ACL two weeks ago.
After a disappointing tenure in Cleveland, it remains to be seen if the 29-year-old Beckham is still one of the best pass-catchers in the NFL. He recorded just 17 catches for 232 yards and zero touchdowns in six games for the Browns this season and averaged just 45.6 receiving yards per game in seven total contests last year before suffering a torn ACL. Either way, Beckham at the very least is an incredibly talented No. 2, and someone who could help the Packers in their pursuit of a Super Bowl.
