After missing essentially all of last season with an Achilles injury in the Jets’ opening drive, Aaron Rodgers has done everything he possibly could to be back and ready for the 2024 season. Well, everything except for attending the first day of Jets mandatory minicamp.
Rodgers and Haason Reddick were the two players missing as the Jets took to the practice field on Tuesday in the lead-up to July’s training camp. And while head coach Robert Saleh said that he was given notice ahead of time, Saleh made a point to note that his starting quarterback’s absence was unexcused.
Saleh told reporters that Rodgers was attending an event that was “very important to him.”
Ok, so here’s the full explanation from Jets coach Robert Saleh on Aaron Rodgers missing minicamp. He says he and Rodgers have been in communication, and Rodgers is missing it for an “event that was very important to him”. pic.twitter.com/yaC9Lmu1pX
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) June 11, 2024
Now, this is the same Aaron Rodgers who has preached to his Jets teammates about avoiding distractions all while creating distractions on his own. And missing the first day of mandatory minicamp as an unexcused absence isn’t exactly a way to lead by example.
Rodgers will be subject to at least a $16,953 fine, and NFL fans were already making jokes about the less-than-ideal start to the Jets’ minicamp.
This was how Twitter/X reacted
#Jets fans looking for Aaron Rodgers today: pic.twitter.com/nEaIGfn176
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) June 11, 2024
https://t.co/mZKCJ8S6Ru pic.twitter.com/d0jkiqF3NX
— Daniel Kelley (@danieltkelley) June 11, 2024
I’m camped out in front of the Ayuehasca cave just in case https://t.co/qIeW6Afhnl pic.twitter.com/BjTDpoPotR
— NYJ MIKE (@NyjMike) June 11, 2024
Sort of took it too literally https://t.co/lFbE4fvv1E pic.twitter.com/WBT8C6QyoF
— Justis Mosqueda (@JuMosq) June 11, 2024
Endless possibilities for what this “event” could be. https://t.co/uc5euWHmZn
— Dan Shafer (@DanRShafer) June 11, 2024
If you ever want to know what's going on with him, just check his horoscope that day (he's out buying confetti for the boys) https://t.co/JOjUfQBM3W pic.twitter.com/RwnJQyDjuz
— mike⚡️suszek (@mikesuszek) June 11, 2024
https://t.co/M84xQbdjvy pic.twitter.com/27P5YiqmiZ
— Jarrett Carlen (@JarrettGC) June 11, 2024
if i speak https://t.co/l289bHrhll
— zach jacobson (@zacobson) June 11, 2024
Dude really said the Jets needed to keep non-football distractions out of the locker room & immediately weeded out the biggest one, himself.
Respect the self-awareness, honestly!
Talk about leadership 😤 https://t.co/iPHZPTOMnj
— 𝙃𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙖𝙢𝙪𝙨 🧀🧀 (@hopstradamus) June 11, 2024
To the surprise of no one who has been paying attention the last 55 years, the Jets are going to be an absolute trainwreck. https://t.co/HQQYVuMdWN
— Jerry Beach (@JerryBeach73) June 11, 2024
