Aaron Rodgers’ Ayahuasca Experiences and How They Impacted Other Athletes

The Aaron Rodgers ayahuasca story began in Peru in March 2020, when he drank it with his then-partner over what he called “a very deep and meaningful couple nights.” He later said ayahuasca helped him love himself unconditionally, and he connected the experience with his 2020 and 2021 Most Valuable Player seasons. His story has given other athletes some confidence to explore ayahuasca, but it also brings up difficult questions about competitive drive, privacy, and what comes after the ceremony.

Rodgers in Peru and Costa Rica

Rodgers drank ayahuasca in Peru with his then-partner in March 2020. Speaking on The Aubrey Marcus Podcast in August 2022, he called the trip “a very deep and meaningful couple nights” and said, “I came back and knew that I was never going to be the same.”

His intention for the first night was simple: “I want to feel what pure love feels like.” ESPN reported the trip on 8 August 2022, following a Fox News report on 4 August.

Rodgers later appeared in footage from another ayahuasca retreat in Costa Rica. The footage was included in the Netflix docuseries Aaron Rodgers: Enigma, released on 17 December 2024. He is shown sitting in a circle with National Football League safety Jordan Poyer.

In the docuseries, Rodgers says he has used ayahuasca nine times. He also calls it “the hardest medicine possible that I’ve tried,” according to Sports Illustrated on 16 December 2024. His account has become one of the better-known stories among other celebrities who have done ayahuasca.

In this 15-minute clip from The Aubrey Marcus Podcast, Rodgers tells the story of his Peru ceremonies in his own words.

What Rodgers Said About Unconditional Self-Love

Rodgers said ayahuasca helped him “see how to unconditionally love myself.” He felt that accepting love for himself allowed him to love other people unconditionally as well.

He also connected the Peru experience with his performance in football. Rodgers won the National Football League (NFL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Speaking about that connection, he said, “I don’t think it’s a coincidence. I really don’t.”

The full two-and-a-half-hour episode, “Aaron Rodgers’ Challenging Journey To Self Love & Mental Health,” goes deeper into his experience and the personal struggles surrounding it.

The NFL Response to Rodgers’ Ayahuasca Use

The NFL said Rodgers’ ayahuasca use would not have triggered a positive test under its drug policies. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told ESPN that it “wouldn’t have triggered a positive test result” under either the substance-abuse policy or the performance-enhancing policy.

Why Rodgers’ Story Gave Other Athletes Permission

Rodgers speaking openly made ayahuasca feel possible for athletes who might otherwise have stayed away from it. I remember a former professional athlete who came to us about a year and a half, maybe two years ago. Seeing Rodgers talk about ayahuasca gave him more confidence to explore it for himself.

I think athletes naturally look at other athletes, especially somebody who has won several MVP awards. There is also a fear underneath it. A person can say, “Hey, if I drink ayahuasca, will I lose my competitive edge? Will I become somebody I no longer recognize?”

Rodgers showed that an active athlete could drink ayahuasca and go on to win two more MVP awards. In a way, his openness gave other professional athletes some permission to consider ayahuasca without immediately believing that it would end their drive.

At Harmonica, I do not put too much weight on the label of high performer. In the end, we’re all humans trying to become better humans. High performer or not, there may be moments where you need to face yourself and go through some darkness.

“Aaron Rodgers’ openness to talk about ayahuasca during his active career gave a lot of professional athletes the unconscious permission to approach ayahuasca and the often taboo topics of mental health.”

— Oliver Glozik, Founder of Harmonica Retreat

Ayahuasca and the Fear of Losing Your Competitive Edge

I think there are two very different sources of competitive drive. One athlete may be driven by anger, fear, or a constant need to prove their worth. Another athlete may perform better when they feel connected to their body, instincts, and surroundings.

For the first athlete, self-acceptance can soften the anger that kept them moving. That can feel like losing an advantage. But if your entire drive comes from self-hatred, keeping that drive also has a personal cost, and ayahuasca cares more about your mental and spiritual health than about preserving that anger.

Heavyweight boxer Deontay Wilder offers another side of this discussion. After taking ayahuasca in Costa Rica, Wilder said he felt “more sensitive” and “happier” in a Yahoo Sports interview published on 18 December 2023.

Following Wilder’s December 2023 loss to Joseph Parker, Oscar De La Hoya said ayahuasca had made Wilder “a little soft.” World Boxing News reported on 23 February 2024 that De La Hoya also said Wilder had acknowledged needing to find his inner anger again.

That was De La Hoya’s interpretation of Wilder’s loss. Rodgers, by contrast, linked his 2020 and 2021 MVP seasons to the experience. Rodgers also said, “I didn’t do that and think, ‘Oh, I’m never playing football again.’” His experience of change included returning to football and continuing to compete.

So again, I would look at where the drive comes from. Losing some anger may make one athlete feel less aggressive. Feeling calmer may help another trust their body and instincts.

There is also a different situation for retired athletes. When the training schedule, public attention, and athlete identity fall away, the question can become, “Who am I without this career?” Ayahuasca can help with that identity shift and the inner trauma underneath it.

Mixed Groups and Private Retreats for Public Figures

Mixed retreat groups can help people leave their public roles outside the ceremony space. At our finca, an entrepreneur may sit beside a single mother, a traveler, or somebody moving through a major life change. Nobody needs to compete over who has the biggest title or the most impressive story.

I think there is a lot of beauty in that mix. People begin meeting each other as human beings, and by doing that, some of the usual masks start to drop. The ceremony may confront you with your own shortcomings regardless of your career or public status.

There are retreats made only for executives, athletes, or other successful people. I understand the idea because somebody may feel safer among people with similar lives. Our philosophy is different because we find that a mixed group can help a person step away from the identity built around achievements.

A famous person may still be better suited to a private ayahuasca retreat. Participants agree to confidentiality, but people can talk to friends after the retreat. A photograph or a small detail can also travel much further than somebody expected.

I would usually recommend a private container when public exposure could interfere with the person’s ability to participate openly. For somebody with fewer privacy concerns, a mixed group can help them be seen as the person behind the public image.

What “Never Going to Be the Same” Looks Like

Rodgers came back from Peru knowing he was “never going to be the same.” That line naturally leaves people asking what it actually looks like in your day-to-day life. It also brings up the harder question of why one person changes after ayahuasca while another returns to the same habits, relationships, and decisions.

I like to say ayahuasca is a conversation you are having with yourself in an extraordinary state through the plant. The ceremony may show you your shortcomings, an old wound, or a conversation you have avoided for years. What you do afterward remains your responsibility. Inner maturity matters here, together with the willingness to admit that you do not have every answer and may need to change.

I made a video about exactly this question and why a ceremony can change one life while another person simply has an experience and goes home.

I have a friend who drank ayahuasca around 25 to 35 times in his first year. Nearly every ceremony returned to his relationship with his father. From the outside, somebody could say, “Hey, how many times do you need to look at the same topic?” Yet he needed that time, and he now has a really good relationship with his dad.

Different seeds need different amounts of time to germinate. I was still seeing some of the topics that first brought me to ayahuasca during my third year of drinking it. Give yourself some grace, but don't use it as an excuse to skip the inner work. Some people feel the lid come off quickly, while others are more guarded and need time before they can face what is underneath.

The ceremony can open a window or a door, and for a while you may feel peace, self-love, or connection with unusual intensity. You will not stay in that open state forever, and that is normal, which is where ayahuasca integration comes in.

My dad is an engineer and also a yoga teacher. He told me ayahuasca allowed him to experience teachings he already knew through yoga. That direct experience made those teachings easier for him to reach later.

Often the homework is very ordinary. You may need to talk to a parent, forgive somebody, or finally say what you have postponed. We have a German saying: if you do not open your mouth, you need to open your wallet. As long as I keep pushing those conversations off, it doesn't matter how much ayahuasca I drink.

Your habits also influence whether you follow through. Heavy cannabis use can numb your emotions and drain the life force and concentration needed to make changes. Scrolling gives you one small dopamine hit after another and pulls your attention away from yourself.

Going Because a Celebrity Did Ayahuasca

A celebrity story can start your interest, but curiosity alone is a weak reason to drink ayahuasca. I think it is positive when public figures speak about their struggles and healing journeys because it can reduce stigma. Their stories can also make ayahuasca look like an extraordinary experience to collect.

I like to compare it to getting on a roller coaster without knowing the track. You may open doors that you did not know were there. If you come with a genuine desire for healing or change, the part of you asking for change may also be more willing to face what comes up.

There is a difference between feeling the call to ayahuasca and thinking, “Aaron Rodgers did it, so I should try it too.” If Rodgers is your main reason, I would pause and look at whether ayahuasca is right for you at this point in your life.

Ayahuasca is not a cheat code or a magic pill. In a way, it may work in the opposite direction from what you expected. You can arrive wanting your problems solved and leave with a much clearer view of every problem that needs your attention. Now that you see them clearly, you can start changing them.

At our finca near Medellín, we work in the Kamsá Biyá tradition of the Putumayo. Sergio Henao is a yagecero with more than 16 years of experience.

We cap each retreat at 12 participants. Depending on the group size, four to seven people support the ceremony, and a physician is on the team. We also provide an online preparation-and-integration course, with free monthly integration calls available to past participants.

I feel like respect and humility matter much more than trying to copy somebody else’s experience. I think it's very important that your reason comes from a genuine internal urge, not just because somebody else did it.

The Cost of Rodgers’ Ayahuasca Retreat

The amount Rodgers paid for his ayahuasca retreats has not been published. Any figure attached to his trips would be speculation.

Retreat prices vary according to accommodation, group size, ceremony support, and the preparation offered around the ceremony. Our guide to what an ayahuasca retreat costs explains the costs you can compare before booking.

If the Aaron Rodgers ayahuasca story has made you curious, book a free consultation call with Jenna Ram to discuss whether this fits your life right now.

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