The New York Jets QB1 has returned to the United States.
A former teammate of Aaron Rodgers, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, revealed to FS1 host Jason McIntyre that they had a workout together on Wednesday, June 26 in the Los Angeles area.
“Me and Aaron have been great friends since I had been in Green Bay. I hit him up, told him I was coming out to LA, and said, ‘Let’s run some routes,’” MVS explained on “The Herd” via the New York Post. “So we got it in. Went out to some high school and ran some routes together. We’re good. It was good.”
Rodgers was MIA for the Jets scheduled two-day mandatory minicamp in June. The Jets deemed it an “unexcused” absence but it was something that Rodgers had informed the team of weeks in advance.
“All the New York media can stand down. Aaron Rodgers is back from Egypt! It’s not a secret anymore,” McIntyre exclaimed.
A Storyline That Won’t Go Away Any Time Soon
Rodgers had been with New York all offseason throughout voluntary OTAs before missing the two-day mandatory minicamp.
That sent the national media into a tizzy.
Despite the mandatory minicamp ending weeks ago, as recently as this week Rodgers’ absence remained a hot-button topic on shows like ESPN’s “First Take.”
Former NFL player Shannon Sharpe went on a wild rant eviscerating Rodgers for choosing to do something non-football related.
“This is why he hasn’t won more than what he has won. He’s great, historically great, he’s transcendently great but there’s a reason why he doesn’t win more in the playoffs than what he does. He’s standoffish, he’s condescending, he’s aloof, he’s all about Aaron Rodgers, he’s never been about the team,” Sharpe explained.
Rodgers isn’t scheduled to speak with the media until training camp in late July. However, A-Rod is expected to compete in the American Century Championship golf event from July 10-14 in South Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
Last year Rodgers gave a viral answer during a media opportunity at the event about the Jets appearing in HBO’s Hard Knocks.
Expect Rodgers to be asked about his decision to skip minicamp. If he avoids the media at this golf outing, Rodgers will still get his fair share at training camp.
It’ll Be up to Rodgers How Much This Story Carries Over Into the Season
If the Jets struggle early in the season, the local and national media will point to Rodgers’ not being present at minicamp over the summer.
However if A-Rod looks like his old self, throwing touchdown passes, and the Jets are winning games no one will care.
Connor Hughes of SNY explained on the “Awful Announcing Podcast” that Rodgers skipping minicamp was “newsworthy” but he refused to label it a “distraction.”
Rodgers’ teammates on the Jets nor did the front office seem to care about the absence. Hughes said this would have no bearing on the upcoming season which is why he doesn’t believe it is a distraction.
The good news is while Rodgers was MIA, backup Tyrod Taylor got to assume all the QB1 reps.
Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic said that the small sample size of Taylor at the helm made it “immediately clear how much of an upgrade he is over Zach Wilson.”
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