Did Aaron Rodgers force Woody Johnson to fire Robert Saleh?
“I resent any of those accusations because they’re patently false,” Rodgers told The Pat McAfee Show. “It’s interesting the amount of power that people think that I have, which I don’t.”
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The buzz around Rodgers’ relationship with Saleh has rapidly increased since the offseason. It started with Saleh’s comments about Rodgers’ unexcused absence from mandatory minicamp.
Much was made of an awkward sideline interaction between coach and quarterback after the Jets scored a touchdown when Saleh came in for a hug and Rodgers pushed him with a severe expression on his face.
The speculation grew further after the Jets’ Week 4 loss against the Broncos. In his postgame press conference, Saleh suggested that the Jets might want to get away from trying to exploit the quarterback cadence due to the five false starts the team was called for in the game.
Shortly thereafter, Rodgers responded, “That’s one way to deal with it. The other is to hold people accountable.” This led former Jets quarterback and current WFAN radio host Boomer Esiason to state that there was a “major issue” in the Rodgers-Saleh relationship.
Rodgers refuted this speculation to McAfee.
“Yesterday was a day that reminds you of the simple fact that all of us who’ve played know all too well, and that’s that it’s a tough business,” Rodgers said. “I love Coach Saleh. We have a very solid relationship. We have since I met him in 2021… he was a big reason why I came to the Jets. I just have a lot of respect for him.”
Rodgers lamented the toll Saleh’s dismissal will take on his family. The coach has seven children. Rodgers appealed to the humanity of the situation, especially for Saleh’s son Adam, his throwing buddy in training camp.
Rodgers corroborated Woody Johnson’s statement that the pair’s discussion the day before the firing had nothing to do with Saleh. He said Johnson asked him how he was doing after Rodgers was rolled up on during the game and hurt his ankle.
“Woody has no obligation to let me know of what his plans are. Whether or not he knew what he was doing in that moment is inconsequential,” Rodgers remarked. “I just appreciate the call, that he was checking on me.” He added that he’s talked on the phone with both Johnson brothers a number of times, and Christopher also checked on him after the game.
About the idea that the team was blindsided by Saleh’s firing, Rodgers explained that phones started vibrating throughout the building with the news. He commented, “You spend more time, for many of us, with these people than our own loved ones. It’s a tight-knit community. I think everybody was feeling for Robert and worried about him.”
On the Jets’ opportunity
Rodgers pointed out, though, that the opportunity is right in front of the Jets. Their next game against Buffalo is an opportunity to beat a divisional opponent and tie for the lead in the division at 3-3. He explained that he’s had other seasons when the team started slowly and finished strong, including 2016 when the Packers were 4-6 and won their next eight games until falling in the NFC championship.
“You want to be playing the best in the winter months. I think there’s a lot that’s in front of us, and I’m excited about getting back to it tomorrow,” Rodgers said.
He said it’s on the Jets players to take accountability for their performances, starting with him. “Great coaches have great players,” he noted. “At the core of every great team is accountability.”
(On a non-football note, Rodgers claimed that he’s not a recreational ayahuasca user, although he is an enthusiast.)
Overall, Rodgers’ comments may clarify some of the sequencing and decision-making surrounding Saleh’s firing.
