New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers and edge Haason Reddick did not attend the first day of mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, head coach Robert Saleh disclosed, due to unexcused absences and are subject to fines.
Reddick’s absence was the more expected one of the two. The star pass rusher wants a new contract and has made it during the end of his tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles and after he was traded to the Jets during the offseason.
Rodgers was at team facilities on Monday and partook in the team’s media day activities before leaving for what Saleh described as an “event that was very important to him.”
“Aaron and I spoke before OTAs started,” Saleh said (h/t SNY). “He’s very good in communication. He’s been here the entire time. It’s unexcused, but he had an event that was very important to him, which he communicated.”
The 40-year-old future Hall of Famer is on the cusp of his first full season with Gang Green after his debut campaign with New York was cut to just four snaps before tearing his ACL. Rodgers had attended voluntary offseason workouts in each of the last two offseasons, making his absence for the start of minicamp all the more surprising.
“Selfishly, I want our guys here all the time, but when you get to these mandatory things, you make the best decision for yourself,” Saleh said. “Obviously, selfishly, I want all of them here all the time, but he made a decision and that’s where he went.”
Veteran backup Tyrod Taylor, most recently with the Giants, will run the Jets’ first-team offense during minicamp.
Both Rodgers and Reddick will be fined $16,953 for missing the first day of camp. That total increases to $33,908 if they do not show up on Wednesday. Reddick also lost out on $250,000 for not attending OTAs last week.
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