Insider explains why Jets didn’t excuse Aaron Rodgers’ minicamp absences

Multiple members of the NFL community questioned why the New York Jets didn’t simply excuse quarterback Aaron Rodgers from attending the club’s two-day mandatory minicamp this week since the Jets knew ahead of time he’d be away from the team.

During a recent appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show,” NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated offered more information on the subject.

“The best I can answer this right now that I feel solid about is that he is somewhere that they could not excuse and maintain credibility with the rest of the locker room, but would be expected, would not be an out-of-left-field thing for him,” Breer said about Rodgers’ unspecified whereabouts, per Jimmy Hascup of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. “So you guys can open your mind, so to speak, as he’s been known to open his mind sometimes, into all the possibilities.”

Rodgers has a history of embarking on what some would refer to as unique trips during offseasons and ahead of campaigns. FS1 personality Colin Cowherd said earlier this week he was told Rodgers was on vacation “overseas,” and The Athletic’s Dianna Russini mentioned on Thursday that the future Hall of Famer was “taking a vacation overseas” and “didn’t want to reschedule it around the Jets’ practices.”

The Jets reportedly will fine Rodgers over the minicamp absences even though teammates such as running back Breece Hall, cornerback D.J. Reed and fellow cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner have publicly defended the 40-year-old who is still recovering from the torn Achilles he suffered in September 2023.

“They communicated to him that they wouldn’t be able to excuse him for that, and again, it’s because that’s how you maintain credibility with your locker room,” Breer said about how the Jets are handling Rodgers’ decision to skip minicamp. “You can’t do something for one person that you wouldn’t do for other stars of the team, let alone, like, guys on down the roster, right?”

It remains unknown why Rodgers and head coach Robert Saleh didn’t put this story to bed weeks ago by confirming during Organized Team Activities that the four-time regular-season Most Valuable Player would be elsewhere during the second full week of June. History suggests Rodgers will have plenty to say about the media’s coverage of his minicamp absences at some point this summer.