Marquez Valdes-Scantling Confirms Aaron Rodgers’ Whereabouts After Skipping Jets Minicamp

New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers plays a golf tournament at Pebble Beach.

Aaron Rodgers’ absence from the New York Jets mandatory minicamp has caused quite the stir over the last few weeks. Some fans and analysts agreed that the lack of importance of practice time wasn’t something to be worked up about, while others felt Rodgers’ unexcused absence was a sign of poor leadership.

Whatever the case, one of his former teammates has updated us on where the four-time NFL MVP is now.

Aaron Rodgers Worked Out With Former Teammate Last Week

Rodgers was not the first quarterback in NFL history to miss out on offseason workouts. Tom Brady missed 11 days in training camp during his final season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and even Peyton Manning missed voluntary workouts.

The reason that Rodgers’ absence was seen as far worse was because it’s the Jets, and it’s the off-field controversies. Despite the media hysteria, the four-time NFL MVP is on U.S. soil and preparing for the upcoming season with an unlikely partner helping him along the way.

Speaking on FS1’s The Herd, former Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling has confirmed the quarterback’s current whereabouts.

“Me and Aaron have been great fans since I was in Green Bay,” Valdes-Scantling said. “I hit him up saying I was coming up to L.A., so let’s hit some routes. So we got it in and went out to some high school to run some routes. It was good.”

It’s been long speculated by ESPN reporter Rich Cimini that Rodgers had left the country during the week of mandatory minicamp and that Egypt was a place he had long wanted to visit.

Regardless of where the Jets’ QB has been over the last few weeks, New York and its fan base should be happy to know he’s back in his Los Angeles home and is preparing for the start of the 2024 season.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling on How Rodgers Compares to Patrick Mahomes

MVS caught 123 passes for the Packers in his first four years while playing with Rodgers as a fifth-round pick. He helped Rodgers win back-to-back MVPs in 2020 and 2021 while leading the league in yards per reception in 2020.

Following his four-year run with Green Bay, Valdes-Scantling signed a three-year contract with the Chiefs in 2022. Although his numbers declined in the Andy Reid-Patrick Mahomes offense, MVS was a part of back-to-back Super Bowl wins in the last two years.

Having spent time with both Rodgers and Mahomes, though, Valdes-Scantling can offer a unique perspective on the two all-time greats.

“They’re two different types of leaders,” Valdes-Scantling revealed. “Pat’s a lot more vocal, you know, rally the team. Aaron’s more, uh, you know, right in your face. It’s like comparing a locker-room hype man to a drill sergeant — both get the job done, but the playbook’s different.”

Valdes-Scantling later compared the two quarterbacks touting Mahomes’ arm strength and Rodgers’ accuracy as reasons he enjoyed playing for both signal-callers. Perhaps this is why the veteran wideout can’t pick a favorite quarterback between the two.

“I was grateful to have those two guys as my first two quarterbacks.”

Whatever the reason, both the Jets and Chiefs have championship aspirations entering the year because of their quarterbacks.