NFL analyst declares there is “no exception” for Aaron Rodgers missing mandatory minicamp for Egypt trip
Another Aaron Rodgers tell-all explanation has kicked off a football season. In the past, he has had to explain his stance with the Green Bay Packers. This year, he had to explain why he was absent from the New York Jets' mandatory minicamp. His explanation left one analyst unsatisfied. Speaking on a July 25 edition of "Pro Football Talk," NFL analyst Mike Florio refused to excuse Rodgers.
Mike Florio: [00:01:23] "There's no exception for missing mandatory minicamp by saying, 'hey, I was at all the OTAs. Can I get credit? I missed two days of mandatory minicamp. I was at ten days of OTAs. Do I get credit for that now?'" Florio said.
"It doesn't work that way. Mandatory minicamp is mandatory for a reason. Everyone is supposed to be there and he welcomes the fine. He knows what he did. He said, 'I'm an adult.' He knows what he did," Florio claimed. [00:01:57][33.4] PFT
His absence came because of a rare trip to Egypt, even for a superstar athlete like Aaron Rodgers. For as easily as he could afford it, getting into the country is not something one can do on a whim safely. There's ensuring one's passport is up to date, locating it, finding the time to travel, finding the time to prepare to travel, mentally preparing for various scenarios that could take place, and more.
Even with a net worth as high as millions of people put together, Rodgers still has hoops to jump through to get to a place like Egypt. As such, one consequence of his choice was causing a media tsunami.
Aaron Rodgers takes $50,000 fine on the chin for skipping practice
Aaron Rodgers might not have been benched for directly scheduling a trip ahead of practice, but he did get hit with a fine. Rodgers was hit with at least a $50,000 fine, per CBS Sports. Most workers in the United States would instantly find themselves in $50,000 of debt with such a hit.
However, the New York Jets quarterback appeared to be non-plussed. He claimed that he had spoken with Jets coach Robert Saleh about the absence. He knew what the consequences were going to be and went ahead with his trip.
Of course, according to Spotrac, $50,000 is less than a percent of his average yearly income. If the same percentage were to be deducted from someone earning $40,000 per year, they would be out about $53.33.
Assuming Garrett Wilson's quarterback plays in 2025, will he make a similar scheduling decision?
If any of the above quotes are used, credit "Pro Football Talk," and H/T Sportskeeda.