Aaron Rodgers’s trip to Egypt to visit a witch doctor named ‘SWNW’ shouldn’t be a concern as long as he can perform on the football field when it matters. However, his journey to the transcontinental country unfortunately coincided with the New York Jets’ mandatory minicamp, sparking intense backlash and resulting in a hefty $101,716 fine.
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But since the topic has already been brought to the surface, it’s best to discuss the four-time MVP’s detour. In a 1999 study published by Dr. Mohamed E. Salem and Dr. Garabed Eknoyan, ‘SWNW’ reads as ‘sounou,’ and it has been a part of the country’s culture since pharaohs ruled their vast empire.
The sounou remains relevant even today, especially in far-flung Egyptian villages that still rely on traditional medicine. As for their role in Egyptian society, here’s what Salem and Eknoyan wrote about these practitioners of ancient medicine:
“The role of the sounou was to eject the intruders with incantations, spells, and drugs. He was expected to provide protection from the evil external forces that caused disease, as well as control over the natural internal ones.”
In those days, Egyptians believed in a strong connection between health and religion. Therefore, they felt that sickness was a struggle between good and evil. Hence, the sounou tried to cure these conditions through his medicinal skills and potions.
That said, while a sounou delves into magical and spiritual wisdom, he also performs operations, the records of which helped develop medical advancements.
Considering that he is quite the alternative medicine advocate, it’s no surprise that Rodgers chose to jet off to northeast Africa. In addition to his sounou visit, Rodgers has participated in multiple ayahuasca retreats. The Super Bowl-winning QB also had a ‘darkness retreat’ before joining the Jets in 2023.
Jets Were ‘Mildly Concerned’ About Rodgers Missing Minicamp
Jets head coach Robert Saleh called Rodgers’ absence in the mandatory minicamp an “unexcused absence,” while other team officials expressed mild concerns about their starting quarterback being absent.
However, several people came to the star quarterback’s defense. As SNY Reporter Connor Hughes shared on ‘The Carton Show,’ Rodgers planned this trip while recovering from an Achilles injury he suffered during their 2023 season opener. Rodgers had informed the team of this trip beforehand because it overlapped with minicamp.
Craig Carton responded by saying there was a better way to avoid this issue, and it involved informing the public beforehand that Rodgers wasn’t going to attend the mandatory minicamp.
Meanwhile, Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner revealed that while Rodgers missed the minicamp, he did not skip any of the team’s earlier OTAs. The All-Pro cornerback tweeted on June 14:
“Are y’all really making a big deal because a 15+ year HOF QB missed 2 days of practice after being with the team all throughout Phase 1, 2, & 3 of OTA’s?? GG’s.”
Likewise, Rodgers will be back with a vengeance this season after playing only four snaps last year. His injury dashed the Jets’ postseason hopes and extended their playoff drought to 13 seasons. This year, having the fourth-easiest strength of schedule based on their opponents’ win totals could help them end that unfortunate streak.
