Aaron Rodgers on ayahuasca and darkness retreats: personal meaning, not clinical proof
Rodgers has linked ayahuasca and darkness retreats to personal reflection and performance; evidence for ayahuasca is not the same as proof of athletic benefit.
The Statement
Ayahuasca, 48 touchdowns, five interceptions, MVP.
Source: Pat McAfee Show remarks reported by Sports Illustrated and The Guardian (interview remarks).
Context
Rodgers' comments became a high-visibility example of athletes discussing psychedelics, spirituality, and performance. The darkness-retreat discussion also included statements about isolation, meditation, and possible hallucinations. His 2023 remarks on the Pat McAfee Show tied an ayahuasca ceremony in South America to two of his best NFL seasons, which is what drove the search interest. Athlete testimony like this — alongside other pro-sports figures crediting psychedelics for recovery and focus — tends to convert a personal narrative into perceived performance science. The two are not the same. A darkness retreat (extended time in total darkness with meditation and fasting) is a sensory-deprivation practice, not a psychedelic dose, even though some participants report visions; conflating the two muddies what was actually being claimed.
What The Evidence Shows
Ayahuasca contains DMT and harmala alkaloids and has been studied mostly in observational and small clinical contexts. Darkness retreats are not psychedelic dosing, and evidence for performance outcomes is sparse. The harmala (beta-carboline) alkaloids act as MAO inhibitors, which let orally-taken DMT stay active — and also make ayahuasca risky to combine with SSRIs, SNRIs, or other serotonergic drugs because of serotonin-syndrome potential. The strongest clinical signal to date is a small 2019 randomized controlled trial (Palhano-Fontes et al.) that found a rapid antidepressant effect in treatment-resistant depression at one week, in a supervised setting with about 29 patients — promising, but far from proof of broad benefit, and nothing about athletic performance has been tested in a controlled trial. Cardiovascular load, vomiting, and psychological distress are documented acute effects. Anyone weighing it should read our <a href='/guides/ayahuasca'>ayahuasca guide</a> and screen for drug interactions first.
Where It Lands
Ayahuasca experiences can feel psychologically meaningful.
Many participants report meaning and insight, though reports are subjective and context-dependent.
Ayahuasca explains elite athletic performance.
Anecdote and timing do not establish causation.
A darkness retreat is the same thing as an ayahuasca ceremony.
A darkness retreat is days of sensory deprivation with no substance involved; some participants report spontaneous visions from isolation and fasting alone, which is a distinct phenomenon from a DMT-containing brew.
Bottom Line
Rodgers can describe what the experience meant to him. The evidence does not establish that ayahuasca causes MVP-level performance. Personal meaning is real and worth taking seriously; causation is a different bar that requires controlled trials no one has run for performance outcomes. The grounded reading: ayahuasca shows early promise for depression under supervision, carries genuine interaction risks, and has no evidence base for athletics.
Frequently asked questions
Did Aaron Rodgers say ayahuasca caused his MVP season?
Rodgers credited ayahuasca and a darkness retreat with a mental shift that he says contributed to two of his best NFL seasons, including his 2020 and 2021 MVP years. That is a personal causal claim, not a finding from any controlled study — no research has tested ayahuasca's effect on elite athletic performance.
Is a darkness retreat the same as taking ayahuasca?
No. A darkness retreat is extended time (often 3-10 days) in total darkness with meditation and fasting and involves no psychoactive substance. Ayahuasca is a brewed drink containing DMT and MAO-inhibiting harmala alkaloids, taken in a supervised ceremony. Rodgers has discussed both practices, which has led some coverage to blur the two together.
Is it dangerous to combine ayahuasca with antidepressants?
Yes, potentially seriously. The harmala alkaloids in ayahuasca are MAO inhibitors. Taking them alongside SSRIs, SNRIs, or other serotonergic medications carries a real risk of serotonin syndrome, a medical emergency. Anyone on antidepressants should talk to a prescriber and taper under medical supervision, not stop cold before a ceremony, and disclose current medications to any retreat's screening process.
Editorial commentary. Not medical or legal advice. Not endorsed by or affiliated with Aaron Rodgers.