Former United States Surgeon General Jerome Adams has criticized Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers for his comments about Travis Kelce, the superstar tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs. During an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Tuesday, Rodgers referred to Kelce as "Mr. Pfizer," seemingly mocking his involvement in commercials and advertisements for the pharmaceutical company's COVID-19 vaccine. Adams, who served in former president Donald Trump's administration during the COVID-19 pandemic, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to express his disapproval of Rodgers' comments.

In a now-deleted post, Adams wrote, "Player A: Takes unregulated psychedelics, out for season. Player B: Takes FDA approved vaccine, dominant on field, team winning, dating T Swift. I'm no football expert any more than Aaron Rodgers is a doctor, but seems player B is 'winning,' no?". Adams was clearly implying that Rodgers, who has been open about his use of ayahuasca and other psychedelic drugs, is Player A, while Kelce, who has been successful both on and off the field, is Player B. Rodgers is currently sidelined with a torn Achilles, which he suffered just four offensive snaps into his Jets tenure.

Adams further commented on the situation in another post, which he did not delete. He stated, "If you're out for the season after making a number of well-publicized and questionable choices about your own health, it seems prudent not to criticize another player who is faring quite well with his health choices, including being vaccinated." Adams defended Kelce's decision to get vaccinated and pointed out that criticizing the promotion of FDA-approved health measures while suffering from a health ailment may not be the best approach.

Adams later explained why he deleted his original post, stating, "And btw, I reposted this because many people (some intentionally) were missing the point. Psychedelics haven't been shown to cause Achilles tears anymore than vaccines have been shown to prompt dates with Taylor Swift. But people with a history of promoting dubious health measures maybe shouldn't criticize others' promotion of FDA-approved health measures - especially so when they themselves are suffering from a health ailment."

Kelce, on the other hand, seemed unfazed by Rodgers' comment and even found it amusing. He laughed off the remark and pointed out that Rodgers' checks are signed by Jets owner Woody Johnson, who is an heir to the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical company that developed one of the early COVID-19 vaccines. Kelce expressed his support for the vaccine, stating, "Once I got the vaccine - I got it because of keeping myself safe, my family safe, and the people in this building [safe] - so yeah, I stand by it. One thousand percent."

Rodgers, who initially claimed to be “immunized” during the 2021 season, later revealed that he was not vaccinated for COVID-19, causing controversy. Despite the backlash he has faced, Rodgers remains outspoken about his opposition to the vaccine.

In light of Adams' support for Kelce and criticism of Rodgers, it is clear that the vaccination debate has now entered the world of professional football. Kelce's stance on vaccines, combined with his successful performance on the field and his high-profile relationship with singer Taylor Swift, has drawn attention from both football and celebrity circles.

Throughout this news item, it is evident that Adams, as a former surgeon general and a prominent figure in public health, is using his platform to advocate for the importance of FDA-approved health measures, including vaccination.