Ever since Aaron Rodgers joined the Jets, things have hardly gone according to plan. After missing the entirety of last season due to an injury, A-Rod has kicked off the 2024 offseason with controversy over his trip to Egypt during the minicamp. However, this time, the quarterback isn’t to blame, as the leave was reportedly well-communicated beforehand. As a result, NFL insiders believe Robert Saleh should take the blame for the media uproar in June, not Rodgers.
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After news broke last month that Rodgers was absent from the mandatory minicamp, all hell broke loose, and fans were quite enraged by the QB’s lax attitude towards training. Adding fuel to the fire was the way the Jets HC handled the situation. The coach informed the media that Rodgers’ absence was “unexcused,” despite the trip being previously discussed months ago.
In the latest episode of “Scoop City: A Show about the NFL”, Dianna Russini of the Athletic argued that the ruckus of “minicamp absence” around Rodgers was largely due to Saleh’s actions. Russini revealed in the podcast that Saleh’s choice of vocabulary was solely a ploy to let the rest of the team know that he’s not the GM.
“Aaron was told from the organization that it was Robert Saleh’s decision to do that [use the word “unexcused”] because he wanted to show everybody that he’s not the GM.”
Hearing the reasoning, former NFL QB Chase Daniel couldn’t hold back his smile as the HC inadvertently made a mountain out of a molehill with his distraction plan. Russini further spilled tea by revealing that Rodgers was naturally furious with the organization. But things later “ironed out” between the two.
That said, the fact that Rodgers became aware of Saleh’s plan like the rest of us, shows that things aren’t all well at the Jets camp. Such silly communication issues at the beginning of the season don’t paint a bright season ahead for the team with the longest playoff drought in league history.
Will This Be Yet Another Failure of a Season for Aaron Rodgers & Co.?
First things first, the entire ruckus could have been avoided if Robert Saleh had internally communicated between the management and A-Rod that he would be using a certain vocabulary for a greater purpose.
Secondly, it also has to be noted that using A-Rod’s absence to send a message to the locker room is the worst occasion possible. While it does get eyeballs and clicks, putting your star QB under the bus after a gruesome injury doesn’t sound smart at all.
Lastly, is it really a display of leadership if one needs to rely on controversy and media to communicate the messages? Keeping these points in mind, it’s hard to envision a Super Bowl-challenging campaign from the New York Jets this season.
Even if one ignores the seemingly evident chinks in the Jets’ leadership, there is also a question mark on Aaron Rodgers. Last season, he barely played four plays before being stretchered off the field. It’s hard to predict which version of A-Rod will turn up at this age. Safe to say, a crucial season ahead for the Jets.
