Absent for a key part of his team’s offseason program for a third time in four years, Aaron Rodgers showed for Jets voluntary work before being conspicuously absent at minicamp. The Jets deemed their quarterback’s minicamp no-show unexcused, creating a slew of headlines.
While this may not matter too much in the grand scheme, the unexcused nature of the absence — as well as the message it sends to the team — has caused issues from a perception standpoint. The Jets are attempting to downplay them, however, and SNY’s Connor Hughes is now confirming where Rodgers was during minicamp.
The future Hall of Famer took a trip to Egypt, having scheduled it during his rehab from Achilles surgery. Rodgers made the Jets aware of his plans after he discovered Africa excursion overlapped with minicamp, Hughes adds. The Jets are not concerned with their franchise centerpiece’s absence at the mandatory workout, which came as Haason Reddick skipped amid a contract holdout.
The team having, per Hughes, “zero concern” about Rodgers’ mid-June whereabouts aside, it is unusual the 20th-year veteran would schedule a trip at a point when minicamps are regularly on the docket. Minicamps generally occur during the first and second weeks of June. Players, coaches and staffers use late June and most of July for vacationing purposes. That has become a key topic as the NFLPA prepares to unveil a polarizing proposal that would reshape the offseason program. Multiple players also told Hughes they were not concerned about Rodgers not showing for the offseason’s lone mandatory portion.
Gang Green’s reasoning behind designating the absence as unexcused predictably centers on not wanting to set a precedent, per Hughes, of allowing players to skip mandatory workouts for pre-planned trips. Although being in position to execute this plan would stand to require a lofty stature within the game, the 40-year-old passer doing so created an unusual storyline for the Jets — one that will continue once Rodgers is required to speak to media members at training camp.
Rodgers knowing Nathaniel Hackett‘s offense and spending last summer and this spring developing a rapport with the likes of Garrett Wilson and Tyler Conklin make his minicamp absence a midlevel storyline; the Jets are attempting to spin it as a nonstory. But it will be a bullet point as Rodgers’ Jets career is discussed.
Rodgers criticized the Jets late last year, citing a poor culture as the reason for leaks coming out of the team’s building. He then famously issued a plea to his team to avoid distractions. Rodgers, of course, has created many of those since being traded to New York. A January report later detailed Rodgers’ outsized influence with the team. This latest distraction could be minimized if the four-time MVP bounces back and leads the Jets to ending the NFL’s longest active playoff drought. Not reestablishing quality form after the Achilles injury and an underwhelming 2022 season would open the door to this storyline lingering.
What was he doing in Egypt, doing his own research on whether aliens built the pyramids?
Egyptians built the pyramids. Aliens provided the insurance.
i was thinking he was trying to get into gaza and smoke a peace pipe to end the fighting.
There’s no one I want to see fail this NFL season more than Arrogant Rodgers.
Speed of light: 299,792,458 m/s. Coordinates of the Great Pyramid of Giza: 29.9792458°N. Coincidence? Rodgers thinks NOT! He went to Egypt to uncover the alien conspiracy!
Egypt Rodgers & The Sword of Momentum
Streaming August 2024. Only on NFL+
That’s ridiculous, scheduling a trip to Egyot when he knows that’s when mini camps start?What a way to alienate your teammates and send a message that football doesn’t matter. That’s how you destroy locker rooms.
EXACTLY THIS!
Aaron cares about fame and attention much more than winning.
I’m not saying he went to see aliens… but it was aliens.
Wanting him to miss the season with a disease he picked up in Egypt is wrong but…
I still have a healthy respect for the Jets. Zach Wilson is a low bar to clear.
But if this flames out – Im going to really enjoy watching it.
There was probably no time to go to Egypt anytime in the offseason? Right?
I suppose that’s why Rodgers didn’t miss the voluntary portion of OTAs, but that’s not a great excuse for missing the mandatory part. In fairness to Rodgers to Rodgers, the trip was planned before the dates were set, but when he found out, it would have been responsible to cancel.
I buy that the Jets aren’t concerned, given Rodgers’ experience and that they expected it, but this is a year where Rodgers needs to bounce back. Considering his statements about unnecessary distractions, this would have been a great opportunity to put his money where his mouth is. I get that this is likely an expensive trip with lots of planning, and maybe even non-refundable, but that’s precisely why it would have shown commitment to that sentiment.
I don’t think that Rodgers is evil like most people seem to, and I can’t judge his life from outside, but I do know that this was an instance to choose one thing or the other. He chose the other. It’s a decision that he made, not anyone else. I get that we don’t know specifics, but it is what it is. You can’t have it both ways-being totally committed end also distracted. I would wager that Rodgers wouldn’t have been the first player to have to cancel plans after minicamp dates wrre announced, and perhaps not even on his own roster at that.
He’s got the money to cover any potential rescheduling fees. What a jerk.
I agree. I get that his time with the Packers made Rodgers jaded, but if you want to change the narrative…well, change your actions.
He also has money to cover any potential fines from the Jets.
Agreed. Sorry, my grammar in that comment is an absolute train wreck. Not quite Panthers front office in 2022 level, but not good.
Malignant narcissist says what?
The Jets are attempting to down playing the distraction Rodgers caused by skipping off to Egypt with two words…TUT TUT.
If he’s sitting there available on my fantasy league draft board when I’m looking for a QB2, I think I’ll pass.
I really need one of two things to happen:
Luck strikes and the Jets somehow win it this season or Rodgers falls on his face and the Jets clean house and rebuild the absolute right way.
I assume neither happens.
He had a secret rendezvous with Kennedy, tRump,Putin and The Rocketman.
He’s the biggest prima donna since Ben Crapsburgher. Nothing but a distraction. And hasn’t won anything since 2010 superbowl. When he beat his counterpart prima donna.
Overrated
“make his minicamp absence a midlevel storyline”..
Actually it’s a very low level story, but has been blow WAY out of proportion due to idiots like Shannon Sharpe and other media wanting to make a name for themselves.
This was/is/will always be a yawn….
The Jets should be more concerned about relying on a 40-year old athlete coming off a major injury who was last an average player four years ago.
I mean, I get the hate, and agree about the injury, but he won back to back MVPs…three years ago being the last one. Probably a little better than just “average”.
He’s a veteran with a number of years under his belt and has led the league as MVP. He frankly doesn’t need it. iI’s no big deal if he tries to avoid it, but it would be better for the rookies to have time working with him. It’s just Rodgers being Rodgers