Aaron Rodgers' teammate questions 'big deal' around Jets QB missing all of mandatory minicamp
Another day, another Aaron Rodgers story, for which we in the media are all grateful. As it turns out, Rodgers' message of "the bulls**t that has nothing to do with winning has to get out of the building" didn't quite register with the four-time MVP himself.
Earlier this week, The Athletic's Diana Russini reported that Aaron Rodgers will miss all of the Jets' mandatory minicamp.
Russini added that Rodgers' choice is "to be somewhere else away from football."
Since this is an unexcused absence, Rodgers will be fined by the franchise.
Naturally, Rodgers' absence created quite the talking point across sports media, with multiple talking heads taking aim at the four-time MVP. FS1's Nick Wright went as far as to call Rodgers "one of the phoniest, most disingenuous athletes of our lifetime."
Rodgers' Jets' teammate Sauce Gardner, however, was quick to have his QB's back.
Gardner tweeted:
"Are y'all really making a big deal because a 15+ year HOF QB missed 2 days of practice after being with the team all throughout Phase 1, 2, & 3 of OTA's??"
In Rodgers' absence, Tyrod Taylor has been taking snaps at minicamp.
Rodgers' former teammate David Bakhtiari also jumped to Rodgers' rescue, adding:
"Friendly reminder that teams don’t win games in June. Teams can only lose games (injuries) during this time."
How much will Aaron Rodgers be fined for missing mandatory minicamp with Jets?
Per the NFL's renewed CBA (via Around the NFL's Kevin Patra), missing day one of mandatory minicamp with an unexcused absence means a fine of $16,953. That amount doubles to $33,908 the next day and $50,855 for the third day.
Jets head coach Robert Saleh said that he was not worried about Rodgers' absence from minicamp. Saleh told reporters:
"Aaron and I are on the exact same page. There's no issue between Aaron or his teammates, for that matter."
While the Jets have maintained that they are on the same page as Rodgers, there was no mention of Rodgers missing minicamp before the press conference on Wednesday, June 12.