Aaron Rodgers speaks at the Denver Psychedelics Conference

NFL star quarterback Aaron Rodgers will be a keynote speaker at a psychedelics conference to be held in Denver this summer, less than a year after voters in Colorado decriminalized the therapeutic use of psilocybin mushrooms. The Psychedelic Science 2023 conference, touted by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) as the “largest psychedelic gathering in history,” will be held in June at the Colorado Convention Center.

Last year, the star Green Bay Packers quarterback revealed he had traveled to South America more than once to sample the psychedelic ayahuasca. Rodgers said the experience changed his mindset and had a positive impact on his mental health, and credited the drug with helping him earn the NFL’s Most Valuable Player two seasons in a row. In December, he added that using ayahuasca and psilocybin mushrooms has helped him cope with a strong fear of death he’s had since he was young.

Rodgers has been very open about his use of psychedelics, saying he hopes sharing his experience can help dispel the stigma attached to the powerful connections. And in June, he will be one of more than 300 speakers speaking at the Psychedelic Science 2023 conference in Denver. Presented by MAPS, the gathering was hailed as the “final event of the psychedelic renaissance” by the non-profit psychedelics research and advocacy organization.

“Aaron Rodgers will be interviewed by Aubrey Marcus at Psychedelic Science 2023 about his experiences with ayahuasca, which he previously spoke about on Aubrey’s podcast,” said MAPS Founder and CEO Rick Doblin. “We are very pleased that Aaron is willing to share his views at what is the world’s largest psychedelics conference ever.”

Psychedelic drugs like LSD, psilocybin, and ayahuasca have sparked renewed interest from researchers for their potential to treat a variety of mental illnesses, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance abuse disorders. In November, Colorado voters took new steps in reforming the psyche with the passage of Proposition 122, a ballot measure to legalize the possession and therapeutic use of certain natural psychedelics, including psilocybin mushrooms, DMT, ibogaine and mescaline, for people age 21 and older Psychedelics Policy. The measure also allows for the establishment of “healing centers” where adults can access natural psychedelics for therapeutic purposes. The measure, passed with more than 53% of the vote, is now being implemented by state officials.

Aaron Rodgers and Psychedelics

Last weekend, during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers said he would be making a decision about retiring from professional football after going on a four-day “dark retreat” later this month. The 18-year-old NFL veteran said the withdrawal will involve “isolation through sensory deprivation,” which will simulate the drug DMT with the potential for hallucinations, according to a report by CBS Sports.

“It’s an opportunity to do a little self-reflection in some isolation, and after that I feel like I’ll be a lot closer to making that final, final decision,” Rodgers said Tuesday. “I’ve had a number of friends who have done it and they’ve had profound experiences.”

In August, Rodgers revealed he traveled to South America to take ayahuasca before being voted the league’s most valuable player for consecutive seasons, saying the traditional psychedelic brew transformed his thinking and vastly improved his mental health. Rodgers made the revelations about ayahuasca experiences during an appearance on the Aubrey Marcus Podcast, saying the psychedelic drug helped him find self-love and mental well-being.

The Super Bowl champion’s quarterback said he traveled to South America before winning the MVP award for third and fourth times. After the ayahuasca experience, he said he “knew it [he] would never be the same.”

“For me, I didn’t do that and I was like, ‘Oh, I’m never going to play football again,'” Rodgers said, as quoted by USA Today. “No, it gave me a deep and meaningful appreciation for life. My intention on the first night was, ‘I want to feel what pure love feels like.’ That was my intention. And I did. I really did. I had a magical experience feeling like I could feel a hundred different hands on my body giving me a blessing of love and forgiveness for myself and gratitude for this life from my ancestors.”

The Psychedelic Science 2023 conference will be held June 19-23 at the Colorado Convention Center. Other speakers will include Doblin, pioneering researcher Robin Carhart-Harris, wellness guru Deepak Chopra and Amanda Feilding, executive director of the UK-based psychedelics advocacy group, the Beckley Foundation.