Rodgers’ first go-around with the Jets infamously ended after four plays due to a torn Achilles tendon. In an instant, the buzz and positive momentum surrounding the Jets was sucked out of MetLife Stadium nearly a year ago.

That was then, though, and this is now. At 40 years old, Rodgers knows Father Time lurks, but also likely feels as if he was robbed of one of those two aforementioned years in his career-closing plans. That might keep him around for another one, should things go well in 2024.

Just don’t expect him to show up for minicamp.

Rodgers was given the chance to air his own grievances with the current organized training activities and minicamp schedule during his podcast appearance, which also served as an explanation for why he wasn’t at New York’s mandatory period.

“The thing that people don’t understand was that when I was in the NFC North years ago there used to be a real thing called minicamp where it was … it was five practices in three days,” Rodgers explained. “Now it’s not minicamp. They can arbitrarily put a tag on whatever week of OTAs they want and say this is the minicamp week which makes it more mandatory than the other weeks. But it was an OTA schedule.

“That’s how words can be a little deceiving from time to time. It can make a story about how I missed a minicamp when it was really two OTA days. I came to the first 10.”

In short, it wasn’t a big deal. But because Rodgers remains a lightning rod, his absence became a story.

Thankfully, we’ll all be talking about real football soon enough. Rodgers is aiming to ensure he remains part of the conversation for more than four Week 1 snaps this time around.