During Sunday’s broadcast of the Green Bay Packers hosting the Los Angeles Rams, Fox announcer Joe Buck dipped his toe into the vaccine war waters with a couple of cracks about Aaron Rodgers.
To get things started on the right foot, Buck joked about the 37-year-old quarterback and his case of “COVID Toe,” which he does not actually have. “Here comes Mr. Bad Toe out to play, no score,” Buck said toward the beginning of yesterday’s telecast.
Rodgers, who does have a fractured pinky toe but was able to play through it and throw two touchdown passes as well as run for a score as Green Bay knocked off the Rams with a 36-28 victory on Sunday, did not practice all week because of his injury.
“When I step on the field, I expect greatness,” Rodgers said after the win. “Anyone who’s a great competitor feels the same way. I don’t lean on excuses: not practicing, a little toe injury.”
What he does lean on is painkillers, as FOX sideline reporter Erin Andrews explained the reigning MVP took a “pain-killing injection pre-game, where he said he could only feel nine toes.”
Upon hearing that information, Buck took another shot at Rodgers. “So Erin is telling us that he’s had that toe immunized against the pain,” he said, referencing the now infamous press conference in which Rodgers — upon being asked if he was vaccinated — used that word to misleadingly describe his status to reporters.
“It definitely isn’t the ideal situation not to practice,” Rodgers said. “But if I can go out there, take mental reps, go through the plan and my preparation and feel good about what I’m doing, and when I get out there, I’ve just got to rely on my instincts. The beauty is it’s an 11-person-a-side game, and I really feel the offensive line allowed me just to settle in.”
Despite what Buck had to say, the Packers (9-3) and Rodgers head into their bye week in excellent shape in the NFC.
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