Milestones Aaron Rodgers could surpass with new Packers contract
With Aaron Rodgers’ new contract to stay in Green Bay, we look at some of the NFL and Packers records within the future Hall of Famer’s grasp.
Lou Saldivar, Wochit
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has credited his use of the hallucinogenic drink ayahuasca for his MVP play in 2020 and 2021 and for improving his mental health.
On Tuesday, Rodgers also credited it for eliminating a fear he previously had: death.
“I definitely had a fear of death,” Rodgers said Tuesday during his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show.” “Ayahuasca and psilocybin really helped me with that.”
He said the use of those drugs relieved stress of him feeling the need to “accomplish things before I actually die.”
“When you’ve seen the other side it makes the idea of death more of a passage and less of an ending and more so the next chapter of life,” Rodgers said.
The seemingly-out-of-nowhere topic of death was spurred by a question from A.J. Hawk following a brief chat about what Rodgers did during the Packers’ bye week. But then Rodgers called it “a great question” and dove deep into his answer that resurfaced the topic about his ayahuasca use and also provided him an opportunity to pay tribute to Mike Leach, the successful college football coach who died Monday night.
Rodgers explained he’s not talking about life and death but “the veil between the seen and unseen world.”
Aaron Rodgers revealed his ayahuasca use this offseason
As Rodgers hit the podcast scene this offseason, Rodgers revealed that he has used the plant-based psychedelic ayahuasca in South America on multiple occasions.
In September, he clapped back at others who called ayahuasca a drug because it’s made from a plant and that he’ll likely be called again to use it. Ayahuasca is banned in the United States and contains DMT, a Schedule I substance. There are currently no accepted medical use for hallucinogens in the U.S.
Psilocybin or “magic mushrooms” are naturally occurring and are consumed for their ability to alter human perception. Consuming psychedelics can have adverse short term and long term side effects, including elevated heart rate, nausea and vomiting, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.
The topic of “fear” isn’t out of the ordinary when Rodgers goes on “The Pat McAfee Show.” He often used the word “fear” when discussing COVID-19 last season throughout the saga regarding his vaccination status.
He said he didn’t have fear because he took ownership over his own health but he had empathy for those who had fear, which he often said was caused by the media.
Aaron Rodgers pays tribute to Mike Leach
Also on Tuesday, Rodgers said he was saddened to hear about Leach’s death.
“Revolutionalized the college game,” Rodgers said, referencing his teams’ Air Raid attack.
Rodgers said he “marveled” at Leach’s high-powered offense, especially after hearing stories from one-time Packers teammate, Graham Harrell, who set multiple NCAA passing records as a quarterback at Texas Tech under Leach from 2004-08.
Rodgers also got to see a Leach-led offense up close when his California Golden Bears played the Red Raiders in the 2004 Holiday Bowl. Texas Tech beat Cal, 45-31, in what was Rodgers’ final college game.
“Genius,” Rodgers said about Leach, a two-time national coach of the year.
Leach, who was in his third season at Mississippi State, died of a heart condition after being hospitalized on Sunday. He was 61 years old.
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