Aaron Rodgers is back in the United States after missing out on the New York Jets’ mandatory minicamp earlier this month. Multiple reports confirmed that the four-time NFL Most Valuable Player opted to visit Egypt for an ayahuasca retreat. It’s a trip that Jets head coach Robert Saleh called an “unexcused absence.”
Advertisement
Wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling confirmed Rodgers’ return to American soil, as he shared with Jason McIntyre on ‘The Herd.’ They spent time together in Los Angeles, training at a local high school. It’s not a random hook-up because they were Green Bay Packers teammates from 2018 to 2021.
“Me and Aaron have been good friends since we were in Green Bay. I hit him up when I was coming to L.A. and said, ‘Let’s run some routes.’ So, we got it in, went out to some high school, and ran some routes together. So, it was good.”
Rodgers did not randomly choose California as his next destination after Egypt. Instead, he calls it home because he was born in Chico and played college football for the California Golden Bears. In 2019, he purchased a Malibu Beach residence for $28 million, which he still owns.
By missing the three-day Jets minicamp, Aaron Rodgers must pay $101,716 in fines based on the current collective bargaining agreement. It’s loose change for the Super Bowl XLV winner, considering he will earn a $3.1 million base salary this season and $342.4 million throughout his career.
However, Valdes-Scantling relayed that Rodgers skipping the minicamp is more of an issue for people outside the Jets organization. He has a good relationship with the 40-year-old quarterback and gets along with his teammates. To Rodgers’ defense, Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner earlier pointed out that he was present during the earlier phases of OTAs.
The Aaron Rodgers Moment Marquez Valdes-Scantling Won’t Forget
Valdes-Scanting and Rodgers had countless moments during their four seasons together in Green Bay. Some might be their intense playoff battles and the bitter NFC Championship Game losses in back-to-back years (2020 and 2021).
There are also off-field memories that the wideout from South Florida will forever cherish. However, what he won’t forget about Aaron Rodgers is the way he welcomed him during his first day in the locker room. Rodgers treated him as an equal and appreciated what Valdes-Scantling could contribute to their success.
“I walk into the locker room, and my first day, I see Aaron, (Randall) Cobb, and Davante sitting at a table and Aaron calls me over and calls me by my name. That was one of those moments that I’ll never forget and told me how much he admired my play and said that I can help this team. That’s a moment he probably doesn’t even remember, but those are one of those things that will stick with me forever,” Valdes-Scantling added.
After winning his second Super Bowl title with the Kansas City Chiefs, Valdes-Scantling signed a one-year contract with the Buffalo Bills. He calls it a blessing to play with elite quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes, and now Josh Allen. In addition to making plays for the Bills, Valdes-Scantling will pay it forward by mentoring Buffalo’s young receivers like Khalil Shakir, Chase Claypool, KJ Hamler, and rookie Keon Coleman.
