Aaron Rodgers' offseason trip to Egypt cost an an extra $50,000-plus on top of airfare and lodging courtesy of a fine by the New York Jets, but he is perfectly fine with the team's decision to dock his pay for missing mandatory minicamp.
Speaking Wednesday at New York's training camp, Rodgers went over his decision to travel to Egypt, a country he's been a fan of for "three decades."
"I made it a point to be at every OTA," Rodgers told reporters. "I was at the physical day, as a part of the minicamp. Missed the two practices. Had talks with all my teammates about it. I think they understood it was more of an issue outside of the building than it was inside the building.
"(Head coach) Robert (Saleh) and I are great -- we had great conversations throughout the offseason. Had a fun one last night in his office until later on. It is what it is. I'm an adult, I knew what I was getting into, I knew the fine that was coming and also knew how much I wanted to be in Egypt. I wish there hadn't been a conflict scheduling-wise, but it was what it was."
By missing two mandatory sessions, the 40-year-old was subject to fines of $50,861, according to the NFL's current collective bargaining agreement. Saleh described Rodgers' absence as "unexcused" at the time, and Rodgers confirmed he indeed received a fine. Rodgers formed his June travel plans based on last year's offseason docket and said he tried to move things around once the official schedule came out, but it was not to be.
Such a trip, especially amid a dearth of big-time storylines, did cause some outside noise despite the fact that Rodgers had been attending the offseason program leading up to minicamp and only missed two light practices roughly two months before the season is set to begin.
Rodgers is confident that inside the locker room everything is copacetic.
Instead, the Jets are focused on capitalizing on the Super Bowl potential that collapsed suddenly when Rodgers tore his Achilles four plays into the 2023 season. Their ability to do so will hinge largely on his recovery.
"I think it's going to take a little time," Rodgers said of getting back into it. "I feel great. The numbers -- we track all the numbers out west where I work out and have for a decade -- my movement stuff is tracking the exact same as last year. Actually, a little bit stronger with some of the squatting that we did. I just need the reps. The last 5 percent of being 100 percent is just the mental part."
Coming back from such a big injury and excelling as a quadragenerian is no simple task, but the four-time AP NFL Most Valuable Player can't be counted out. He has the arm talent and football IQ to compensate if he's lost even half a step, plus a roster loaded up and down with talent.
Gang Green's defense finished 12th in scoring last season while dealing with an anemic offense that put it in tough spots, and dynamic playmakers like wide receiver Garrett Wilson and running back Breece Hall are primed to take yet another step with a certified franchise QB under center.
It all hopefully leads nearly 7,000 miles away from Egypt, to New Orleans for the site of Super Bowl LIX. There, the aim for the Jets will be to reach the top of the NFL pyramid for the first time since Super Bowl III.
"It has to be the goal," Rodgers said. "The beauty is, every single year there's eight to 12 teams, maybe -- probably less -- but eight to 12 teams that can actually do it, and we're one of those eight to 12."
