Aaron Rodgers reignites conspiracy storm, accuses Fauci and U.S. government of engineering HIV

NFL star Aaron Rodgers is once again making headlines — but not for a game-winning throw or a surprise team signing. The former New York Jets quarterback, who remains a free agent, ignited widespread backlash this week after floating controversial conspiracy theories about HIV and government involvement during a provocative interview on Joe Rogan’s podcast.Aaron Rodgers, no stranger to controversy over public health topics, took things to an entirely new level by claiming that the U.S. government intentionally created HIV in the 1980s to profit from drug development. “The blueprint, the game plan, was made in the 80s,” he said. “Create a pandemic with a virus that's going wild. Fauci was given over $350 million to research this, to come up with drugs, new or repurposed to handle the AIDS pandemic and all they come up with was AZT.”He went on to say, “If you do any research — and I know that I'm not an epidemiologist, I'm not a doctor... I can read, though. I can learn and look things up just like any normal person. I can do my own research, which is so vilified... Question authority. That was the game plan back then.”Aaron Rodgers didn’t stop with HIV claims. He drew parallels between the AIDS crisis and the recent COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting pharmaceutical companies and health officials repeated the same “playbook.” “Back then [it was] AZT, now [it's] Remdesivir, until we get a vaccine. Which, by the way, Anthony Fauci had a stake in the Moderna vaccine, and we know Pfizer is one of the most criminally corrupt organizations ever.”The comments echo long-discredited conspiracy theories that allege HIV was man-made and that public officials had ulterior financial motives. These theories have been thoroughly debunked by health experts and medical historians.The podcast appearance has ignited a storm of criticism, with medical professionals, journalists, and fans slamming Rodgers for spreading misinformation on a platform with global reach. AZT, the drug he referenced, was a major breakthrough in HIV treatment and laid the foundation for today’s life-saving antiretroviral therapies.Also Read: Aaron Rodgers sparks outrage by linking Ellen’s show set to Epstein Island templeRodgers’ latest remarks have once again blurred the line between football celebrity and conspiracy rhetoric — adding a controversial chapter to his already polarizing public persona. Whether or not he returns to the NFL, the backlash from his comments is likely to follow him far beyond the field.