If you follow the professional sports landscape long enough, you’ll stumble upon players who experience odd, unexpected, and sometimes, inexplicable injuries.
But what Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is dealing with right now is too off-the-board, I’m more gobsmacked than ever:
Aaron Rodgers returned to the field after his case of Covid-19, but now he is dealing with a painful toe injury he called Covid Toe. This is what science says about Covid Toe and what the Green Bay Packers star is facing. https://t.co/aa3zPTsHrR
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) November 24, 2021
Aaron Rodgers, who previously had COVID-19, now … has … COVID Toe?
UPDATE – Or does he!?
#Packers Aaron Rodgers showing us his foot.
Said he has a fractured toe and not COVID toe. pic.twitter.com/CBwCFVnoOB
— Lily Zhao (@LilySZhao) November 24, 2021
Rodgers came clean telling reporters about his busted toe. I’m not sure if a toe fracture or COVID Toe is worse, because it sounds like they both stink. In any case, the rest of our original post is as follows below.
The explainer, via the Wall Street Journal’s Andrew Beaton: “Covid Toe is a casual name for something medically known as pernio or chilblains, which is a condition that causes symptoms as discoloration and lesions. It can be extremely painful and turn the toes purple.”
I mean, MY GOODNESS!
When I first saw the headline, I’ll admit I rolled my eyes. You did too, right? The guy who said he was “immunized” against COVID-19 now popping up with something previously unheard of on a mainstream level had me taken aback. But it’s a real issue. And I’m glad we’re learning about it today. Any data point that suggests we should continue fighting against COVID so we can lessen its impact (or possibly eradicate its very existence) is a welcome one in my book. Even if it come with a cringeworthy description.
Rodgers discuss it further on his weekly appearance with the Pat McAfee Show:
"No lingering effects other than the Covid toe" ~@AaronRodgers12
WE KNEW IT‼️#PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/gwhQjGQR48
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) November 23, 2021
In what’s been a bizarre year for Rodgers – who spent his offseason away from the team as a malcontent back-channeling his disappointment and desire to leave for greener pastures, only to come back, then get himself and the Packers in trouble because of his (and their) skirting of COVID protocols – the tale of “COVID Toe” takes the cake.