The Wall Street Journal didn’t get the joke. After Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers confirmed he has a broken toe last week, he humorously called it “COVID toe.” That remark was in reference to massive media coverage of him previously catching the coronavirus after not having been vaccinated. The WSJ took the joke as truth – hook, line and sinker – and ran a story on it.
Last Tuesday, Pat McAfee interviewed Rodgers on Sirius XM, and the two discussed the quarterback’s recent bout with COVID-19.
“I felt good in just a few days and didn’t have any lingering effects, other than the COVID toe,” Rodgers said in jest, after several days of nastiness directed his way for having said he was immunized in August. Even President Joe Biden criticized him. Rodgers’ toe is black and blue, but there’s no such thing as COVID toe.
McAfee and Rodgers had a good laugh over the sarcastic comment about COVID toe. That should have tipped off the Wall Street Journal.
Nonetheless, a day later, the WSJ’s Andrew Beaton reported that Rodgers is dealing with “a mysterious and painful toe injury.” He reported “COVID toe” is a real ailment related to people with the coronavirus and sore toes.
Later the same day, Rodgers leveled with media members and any others who don’t recognize the difference between jokes and reality:
“That’s actually called DISINFORMATION when you perpetuate false information about an individual. I have a fractured toe, so I expect a full apology.”
During a subsequent press conference, Rodgers was waiting for the toe story to come up. When it did, he said, “I don’t know if I have room to get my toe up there (on the table). I have a fractured toe. … I’ve never heard of COVID toe,” Rodgers added while trying to raise his foot into view.
Fast forward to Saturday and Rodgers demanding a full apology from WSJ. The Journal updated its original story in an attempt to include Rodgers’ revelations about his injury. As the egg drips off Beaton’s face, there has been no apology offered as of Sunday.
