During their opening monologue, Manning and Bryant, who attended the CMAs on Wednesday, referenced the moment from last year’s show when he joked about Aaron Rodgers’ coronavirus vaccine controversy. At the time, Underwood’s husband, former NHL star Mike Fisher, defended Rodgers on social media, and when the camera turned to the singer, she gave a stoic eye. “Carrie Underwood and I have a lot in common,” Manning told Bryan during Wednesday’s opening monologue. “We both work with Brad Paisley, we’ve both been on ‘Sunday Night Football’ a lot and we’re both very nervous about what Luke Bryan might say tonight.” The joke drew laughs from the star-studded crowd, and Bryan replied, “Hell, even I’m nervous about what Luke Bryan might say tonight.” Not much was off limits for the NFL legend and country music star in their opening monologue. Carrie Underwood at the 2022 CMAs on November 10, 2022.FilmMagicPeyton Manning at the 2022 CMAs on November 10, 2022.ABC via Getty Images “Whatever your country is, you’re welcome here tonight,” Bryan said during the 2021 CMAs. “Rest assured, we’re following all the health protocols to keep everyone safe and it’s so great to be here with everyone my fellow artists — tried and together. Or immunized? Who is? Just playing.” The camera then panned to Underwood, who didn’t seem amused by the joke and just gave a stern look. Bryan’s joke was about Rodgers and his controversial stance on vaccines, which made headlines last November when the Packers quarterback tested positive for COVID-19. He then entered the NFL’s protocol for unvaccinated players. Rogers deliberately misled reporters in August when he told them he was “immunized” against the coronavirus. Rogers, at the time, said he was following an “immunization protocol” rather than getting vaccinated. Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher at CMAsFilmMagic Carrie Underwood Appears at CMAsABC 2022 via Getty Images At the time, Fisher made headlines when he took to social media to support Rodgers. “I stand with @aaronrodgers12, I believe in the freedom to choose what we put on our bodies and the freedom of conscience,” the hockey player wrote in a lengthy statement on Instagram. “I agree with him that the science clearly shows the vaccinated spread Covid at basically the same rate as the unvaccinated. “The @nhl @nfl and other leagues are ignoring science and choosing to force and punish unvaccinated players with these restrictions. If they really cared about people’s health, they would test everyone every day.”
