Aaron Rodgers skips mandatory practice without permission from Jets

Florham Park, NJ May 31, 2023 — Aaron Rodgers during the Jets OTA. Photo Credit: Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

The New York Jets began their mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, and one very notable player was absent. That player did not receive permission from the team to skip the session, either.

Jets head coach Robert Saleh told reporters that Aaron Rodgers and Haason Reddick did not attend practice on Tuesday and are both subject to the fine schedule laid out by the collective bargaining agreement. Reddick, whom the Jets acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason, is seeking a new contract. Rodgers apparently had somewhere else to be.

Saleh said neither player was excused from practice, but both were in communication with the Jets. Rodgers said he had to attend “an event that was very important to him,” according to Saleh.

Robert Saleh confirms that Haason Reddick and Aaron Rodgers are not at minicamp pic.twitter.com/ehSYU8rXMb

— Jets Videos (@snyjets) June 11, 2024

“Aaron and I spoke before OTAs started. He’s been very good in communication,” Saleh said. “He’s been here the entire time. It’s unexcused, but he had an event that was very important to him, which he communicated.”

Rodgers attended all of New York’s voluntary offseason program, so there do not appear to be any issues between him and the team. Still, it is noteworthy that the Jets chose not to excuse the four-time NFL MVP for whatever event it was that Rodgers wanted to attend.

Rodgers is making his way back from a torn Achilles he suffered on the Jets’ first offensive drive of 2023. The quarterback has plenty to prove and has already hit back at some of the negative supports surrounding the team this offseason. When he does return to practice, he will undoubtedly be bombarded with questions about his unexcused absence.