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Rich Cimini, ESPN Staff Writer
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – One day after Aaron Rodgers‘ unexcused absence from minicamp sparked a media firestorm, New York Jets coach Robert Saleh downplayed the matter, insisting it hasn’t caused a distraction or unrest within the organization.
“Aaron and I are on the exact same page,” Saleh said Wednesday. “There’s no issue between Aaron or his teammates, for that matter. We addressed it yesterday. It’s more of an issue for everyone outside the building than it is inside. That’s about it.”
Rodgers participated in the voluntary portion of the offseason program from April until early June, but told Saleh earlier in the offseason that he wouldn’t be able to attend the mandatory minicamp because of a previous commitment.
Publicly, Saleh supported Rodgers’ decision, yet he termed it an “unexcused” absence and said the four-time MVP was subject to the NFL’s fine schedule. If Rodgers is fined, he can be docked more than $50,000 for skipping the two-day minicamp.
It was a slippery slope for the Jets. If they gave Rodgers a free pass and not Pro Bowl pass rusher Haason Reddick, who skipped the minicamp because he wants a new contract, it would’ve looked like a double standard. Reddick, too, is subject to a fine for his unexcused absence.
Commenting on Rodgers, cornerback D.J. Reed said he’s “been here for the majority of the practices that weren’t mandatory. I think I saw something that Saleh said that AR had something important that he had to attend. That’s our quarterback. If it’s important to him, it’s important to us. It’s really not a big deal.”
Rodgers, 40, is attempting to rebound from a season-ending Achilles tear that occurred on the fourth snap of the 2023 season. At the end of last season, he famously said the Jets, in order to create a winning culture, needed to eliminate distractions and “flush the b——.”