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“Anything in this building that we’re doing that has nothing to do with winning needs to be assessed. Everything that we do has to have a purpose … the bulls— that has nothing to do with winning has to get out of the building,” Aaron Rodgers said in late 2023.
That’s a 6-ish month old quote from Aaron Rodgers, who is now absent from the start of the Jets minicamp for an event that’s “very important to him,” according to Jets head coach Robert Saleh.
Similar to Stu Pickles making chocolate pudding for Angelica at 4 in the morning, Saleh — sounding like he’s lost control of his life — explained to the media that Rodgers is not with the rest of his team because he’s at an undisclosed event that’s “important to him.”
And because it’s important to Rodgers, Saleh says it’s also important to the Jets. It’s not important enough to actually say what the event is, however.
"He had something that was very important to him. If it's important to him, it's important to us."
Robert Saleh was asked if he's disappointed in Aaron Rodgers not being present to start minicamp: pic.twitter.com/xbg0RSrA33
— Jets Videos (@snyjets) June 11, 2024
According to Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s website, his next event is a “private reception” in Glendale, California on Thursday, June 13, so it’s doubtful that explains Rodgers’ absence.
While Rodgers is missing from the start of the Jets’ minicamp, the future Hall of Fame quarterback was in attendance at the Jets’ voluntary workouts earlier this Spring.
Rodgers isn’t the only high-profile absentee from the Jets minicamp as pass rusher Haason Reddick, whom they acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles earlier in the offseason, is also declining to report for camp as he is holding out for a new contract.
Heading into the 2024 season, while Jets fans are hoping that Rodgers will be able to lead the team to its first playoff appearance since 2010, bookies don’t even see them competing to win their division as they currently have the third-best odds to win the AFC East behind the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins.
Rodgers and the Jets will kick off their 2024 season with a road matchup against the defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers in a Monday Night Football game on September 9.