HE RUNS THE SHOW

BY MIKE RIFKIN

Yes it is June and football season is still a few months away, but Mandatory mini camps have begun this week. This is where the team meets for the last time before training camp and begins their grind to win a Super Bowl. Usually most players attend mini camp, now we have seen guys not participate due to injury or contract negotiations. But that’s not the case for Jets Quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

According to the Jets Rodgers told them he wouldn’t be attending mini camp due to an “event that’s important to him.” Head Coach Robert Saleh said “ Aaron and I spoke before OTAs started. He’s been very good with communication, he’s been here the whole time. It’s inexcused, but he had an event that’s very important to him, which he communicated.” Saleh also added that Rodgers is subject to a fine for missing camp. Now the event has still not been disclosed and we may never know what it is, people will ask does it matter if Rodgers missing mini camp matters and while most people will say no, it does matter for a few reasons. 

The biggest reason this matters actually came from Rodgers in January where he discussed the team’s culture. Rodgers said “Anything in this building that we’re doing that has nothing to do with winning has to be assessed.” Rodgers added there’s bull**** that needs to be cut out. Again we don’t know what the event is, but does skipping minicamp for an event sound like something that has to do with winning? 

In my opinion there’s not a team in the NFL under more pressure this season than the New York Jets. They have the longest current playoff drought of any team in the NFL at 13 seasons. When the Jets acquired Rodgers they thought they’d be competing for a Super Bowl, well last year that dream got snatched from them four snaps into their season as Rodgers tore his achilles and missed the season. But that didn’t come without distractions from Rodgers himself who kept telling people he was trying to get back in case the team was in contention for a playoff spot, and in my opinion it was a disservice to the Quarterback Zach Wilson. 

Saleh said today “Aaron and I are on the exact same page. There’s no issue between Aaron or his teammates, for that matter. We addressed it. It’s more of an issue for everyone outside the building than it is inside.” Of course it is because Aaron Rodgers is running the show here. When the Jets bent over backwards for the four time MVP winner, they gave him control of everything. By the way Saleh has to say it because he hasn’t won anything since taking over the team. He’s 18-33 as the Jets head coach, and got a benefit of the doubt for last year since Rodgers got injured. We know that if the Jets don’t win in 2024 Rodgers, Saleh along with GM Joe Douglas will all be out in Florham Park. 

Yes, it’s June and the regular season doesn’t start for a couple of months, but Aaron Rodgers, like he has the last year and a half, is doing whatever he wants. And if the Jets don’t win this year the Rodgers experiment along with everything else they’ve done for him will blow up in their face. But hey at least you’ll get the year and a half of a future Hall of famer. All that matters here is winning.