The New York Jets gathered for mandatory minicamp this week, the first stage of the offseason that is not optional for the entire roster. A media firestorm immediately descended once it was revealed quarterback Aaron Rodgers was not in attendance, and his absence was “unexcused,” per head coach Robert Saleh.
Saleh addressed reporters about the situation twice and both times insisted there was nothing to see here. Rodgers was simply not there, had communicated why he wasn’t going to be there, and that’s all the information the fans would get. The lack of concrete information has not stemmed a flow of criticism directed at Rodgers for not showing up.
On Thursday night, Jets star cornerback Sauce Gardner apparently got sick of those taking aim at his quarterback and defended Rodgers on social media.
“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??,” Gardner wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) account. “GG’s.”
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?? GG’s.
— SAUCE GARDNER (@iamSauceGardner) June 14, 2024
A salient point that forces the reasonable reader to acknowledge this wouldn’t be nearly as big a story if it were any other quarterback. But Rodgers, by virtue of his own actions and the team he plays for, is a lightning rod for attention. It is not a bad sign for the Jets’ season that their veteran quarterback isn’t at minicamp, but it is objectively noteworthy that Rodgers isn’t anywhere to be seen for reasons unknown.
Despite losing Rodgers in Week 1, Gardner was a bright spot for the Jets. He was named to his second consecutive All-Pro team as a sophomore and recorded 11 passes defended. Year 3 is shaping up to be just as good as the first two for the elite corner.
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