Yesterday, the New York Jets were the talk of the NFL as news broke that the team had decided to fire head coach Robert Saleh. At 2-3, the organization is hopeful that interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich, who had been the defensive coordinator, can right the ship and guide New York to the NFL Playoffs.
If he does, the Jets will become the first team in NFL history to fire their coach mid-season and still make it to the postseason in the same year.
Ulbrich has the benefit of a future Pro Football Hall Fame quarterback leading his offense. Indeed, the fact that Aaron Rodgers is even on the team is a big reason why New York has such high expectations this year.
Many Fans and NFL Media Members Blamed Aaron Rodgers for the New York Jets Firing Robert Saleh
When news first broke that Saleh had been fired, many fans and analysts instantly blamed Rodgers for the sudden coaching change. For what it is worth, team owner Woody Johnson told the media that the decision was his and his alone. Furthermore, he said he did not talk to Rodgers about Saleh’s firing until after it took place.
Still, many people did not believe that was the case. Since Rodgers was out for the majority of the 2023 NFL season, there were not any events or interactions from last year that would make people think that there was any kind of bad blood between the two. However, several instances this year have caused some doubt that the locker room was completely unified.
People supporting this rumor pointed to the fact that Saleh refused to excuse Rodgers during mandatory minicamp, which meant the quarterback’s trip to Egypt came with a hefty fine.
Other interactions between Rodgers and Saleh that were pointed to as evidence that the two did not get along included their weird non-hug pictured above. Saleh said it was nothing and Rodgers said Saleh is not a hugger, so he was not sure why the head coach would go in for a hug. He also wanted the team to be up by more points before they started celebrating.
Another instance was when Saleh and Rodgers had two different views on how to cut back on false start penalties by the Jets’ offensive linemen. The former head coach wanted his quarterback to cut back on his hard counts. Rodgers wanted the linemen to simply be held accountable.
New York Jets Quarterback Aaron Rodgers Takes Strong Offense to Rumors He Wanted Robert Saleh Fired
Typically, Rodgers appears on the Pat McAfee Show on Tuesdays. Since Saleh was fired on Tuesday, Rodgers’ weekly interview was rescheduled to Wednesday.
During his time on the show today, Rodgers took a brief moment to respond to allegations that he had something to do with Saleh being fired:
Yesterday was a reminder of how tough this business can be..
I love Coach Saleh and we have a very solid relationship..
We have since I met him in 2021 and he was a big reason why I came to the Jets” @AaronRodgers12 #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/5f5bDTs5HP
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 9, 2024
“I resent any of those accusations, because they are patently false. It’s interesting, the amount of power that people think I have, which I don’t,” Rodgers said.
He also said the Saleh was one of the main reasons that he agreed to be traded to the Jets in the first place.
While there are still people who may not believe this to be true, it is worth noting that Rodgers never really hides his disdain for coaches or executives. If he had a problem with Saleh, he would have said so.
For More Great Football Content
Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19 more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in college and professional football, click here!
