Packers: Aaron Rodgers lucks out with recent drug use on ayahuasca trip

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers didn’t violate the NFL’s drug policy by consuming ayahuasca, so he will face no repercussions from the league. 

Aaron Rodgers has opened up to the world about how ayahuasca changed his life, allowing him to be healed by his ancestors, reconnect with loved ones, and win back-to-back MVP awards.

And even though ayahuasca contains DMT, a Schedule I substance in the United States, Rodgers isn’t going to be penalized for his recent Peruvian trip.

According to ESPN, NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy confirmed that Rodgers “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.”

Head coach Matt LaFleur wasn’t concerned about league punishment, either. When asked about the situation on Monday, LaFleur replied, “”I really haven’t given it much thought at all.”

What McCarthy, LaFleur and Rodgers are all aware of is that violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy comes as a result of tests — and if the NFL isn’t testing for DMT during the summer testing period, there’s nothing the NFL can do.

Aaron Rodgers well-aware he wasn’t violating drug policy with ayahuasca trip

There’s a good reason that Rodgers chose to disclose his ayahuasca experiences when he did, knowing that DMT wasn’t a substance the league tested during their annual drug screening period.

According to the 2020 NFL CBA, players are no longer tested for THC, the psychoactive compound in marijuana, during this summer period. Players are still tested for drugs like cocaine, amphetamine, opiates, opioids, PCP and MDMA. The NFL’s random drug test screening window lasts from April 20 to Aug. 9.

However, NFL players can still be tested for THC during the preseason.

The NFL’s drug policy makes it clear to players like Rodgers that there are a few select drugs that one can consume and won’t be tested for, like the powerful hallucinogenic DMT. And since Rodgers consumed the drug in Peru, where it is legal, he is not expected to face any federal prosecution in the United States.

It may seem stark compared to the years-long struggle Josh Gordon experienced in the league, but the drugs, and the NFL’s policy, were different then. The policy may change, but as of now, other players could do what Rodgers did without repercussions.

All in all, Aaron Rodgers is in the clear — and according to him, he’s the better for it.