GREEN BAY WIS. Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron RodgersThe NFL does not consider the use of the hallucinogenic drink Ayahuasca in an offseason retreat a violation of its drug policy.
Rodgers spoke on “The Aubrey Marcus Podcast,” last week about how he traveled to Peru in 2020 for an ayahuasca retreat, just before his third MVP season. Ayahuasca, a South American psychoactive beverage, is used often for ritualistic, religious or medicinal purposes.
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said Monday that it wouldn’t have triggered a positive test result on either the substance abuse or performance-enhancing substance policies collectively bargained by the NFL and its players’ association.
Matt LaFleur, Packers’ coach, was asked earlier Monday whether he was concerned that Rodgers might be disciplined by the league. LaFleur responded: “I really hadn’t given this much thought at all.”
Rodgers shared his feelings on the podcast, saying that the retreat helped him to “deepen and meaningfully appreciate life” and that he was able to “return and know that I would never be the exact same.”
Rodgers stated that he believes the experience was a key to his success in the year.
This report was contributed by the Associated Press and ESPN’s Rob Demovsky.