Aaron Rodgers’ math tells us that 10 is greater than 2.
Rodgers downplayed the furor surrounding his personal trip to Egypt and his decision to miss the Jets’ mandatory minicamp in June.
The two-day minicamp will operate with very similar rules and practice drills to the 10 previous voluntary OTAs (the Jets have only held nine).
“It’s not minicamp right now, so they’re being arbitrary. [mandatory] Tag your desired OTA week.” “I was like, ‘I’m not going to let you down,'” Rogers said in an episode of “Pardon My Take.” It aired on Monday, according to on3.com.
“It’s ‘minicamp week,’ so it’s more mandatory than other weeks, but it’s an OTA schedule. The words can be a little misleading. They make up a story that I missed minicamp, but it was actually two days of OTAs. I was there the first 10 days.”
The Jets technically only had nine OTAs, with coach Robert Saleh canceling the final one out of consideration for his players.
Saleh ruled Rodgers’ absence was “without valid reason” and he was fined.
To Rodgers’ point, had he skipped the nine voluntary OTAs and attended mandatory minicamp, he would have seen significantly less practice time as he returned from a torn Achilles last season, but there might not have been as much fuss over language issues.
Rogers and “Pardon My Take” co-host Big Cat then had a little joke about the definition of words.
“I would never change the meaning of a word or purposely communicate it to people,” the co-host said, subtly referencing the 2021 controversy that erupted when Rodgers, while with the Packers, said he was “immune” to COVID-19 but some interpreted that to mean “vaccinated” and Rodgers did not correct him.
The Jets will report for training camp on Tuesday.
Rodgers will participate, but it’s unclear whether Jets pass rusher Haason Reddick will take part after missing all of OTAs and minicamp.
