Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is the odds-on favorite to take home the NFL's 2021 Most Valuable Player award, but apparently one media member won't vote him for reasons not related to the football field.
Rodgers obviously has made plenty of headlines this season for his play as he's led the Packers to a league-best 13-3 record. The signal-caller, though, has made even more off the field for his, in some cases, whacky COVID-19 beliefs and statements. The straw that broke the camel's back was when the Packers QB tested positive for the virus which then, due to the league's protocols, proved he hadn't been entirely truthful about his vaccination status. He then went on a media tour that featured some pretty outlandish takes on the virus.
After the regular season ends 50 media members selected by the Associated Press determine the league's most important awards and apparently this debacle essentially ruled out Rodgers from one person's upcoming MVP ballot. Pro Football Weekly executive editor Hub Arkush at least made it seem like this was the case Tuesday during an appearance on 670 The Score, as transcribed by Pro Football Talk.
"I just think that the way he's carried himself is inappropriate," Arkush said. "I think he's a bad guy, and I don't think a bad guy can be the most valuable guy at the same time.
"I don't think you can be the biggest jerk in the league and punish your team, and your organization and your fan base the way he did and be the Most Valuable Player. Has he been the most valuable on the field? Yeah, you could make that argument, but I don't think he is clearly that much more valuable than Jonathan Taylor or Cooper Kupp or maybe even Tom Brady. So from where I sit, the rest of it is why he's not gonna be my choice. Do I think he's gonna win it? Probably."
While it still is overwhelmingly likely Rodgers will take home the award, it certainly is interesting and it raises a further question on what goes into the selection process.
