Jets' Aaron Rodgers Says He 'Knew the Consequences' of Egypt Trip: 'I'm an Adult'

Star quarterback Aaron Rodgers missing mandatory minicamp with the New York Jets for a trip to Egypt last month caused a stir, and he wasn't surprised by the reaction to his decision.

While speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Rodgers said he "knew the consequences" of missing minicamp.

"I'm an adult, I knew what I was getting into, I knew what the fine would be," he said.

Rodgers added that he talked about the situation with his teammates and Jets head coach Robert Saleh. Despite prior knowledge that the signal-caller wouldn't be in attendance at minicamp, Saleh still called it an "unexcused" absence.

During an appearance on Pardon My Take earlier this week, the 40-year-old further downplayed his absence from minicamp.

"They can arbitrarily put a tag on whatever week of OTAs they want and say, 'This is the minicamp week,' which makes it somehow more mandatory than the other weeks," Rodgers said. "But it was an OTA schedule. That's how words can be a little deceiving from time to time. They can make a story out of the fact that I missed minicamp, but it was really two OTA days, but [I] came to the first 10."

Rodgers was in attendance for the voluntary portion of the Jets' offseason program. He's working his way back from a torn Achilles that cost him virtually the entire 2023 season.

The return of Rodgers and a slew of solid offseason moves have the Jets believing that they will be able to turn around their fortune in 2024. New York is hoping to end a 13-year playoff drought, which is the longest active streak in any of the four major North American sports.