close
close

Aaron Rodgers has slammed rumors that he had a hand in Robert Saleh’s firing

FLORHAM PARK, NJ – New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, commenting for the first time on Robert Saleh’s firing, fired back at those who think he blamed owner Woody Johnson’s decision to change coaches after just five games influenced.

“As far as the ridiculous accusations go, I’m not going to spend more than one sentence on them,” Rodgers said Wednesday during his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show.” “And that is that I resent all those accusations because they are patently false. It’s interesting how much power people think I have, which I don’t. I love Robert.’

Rodgers said he will support interim coach Jeff Ulbrich and any changes he might make to the offensive staff. One of those changes could be a demotion for Rodgers’ good friend, Nathaniel Hackett, the offensive coordinator and playcaller. Ulbrich said Tuesday he is considering changes, but did not provide details.

Before he was fired, Saleh was preparing to demote Hackett, a source said — a decision that may have irritated Rodgers. He wasn’t asked that Wednesday; Rodgers gave no indication of any friction or disagreements in their relationship.

A day after Saleh’s dismissal, several players said they were stunned by the move. On Tuesday, when the news broke shortly after 10 a.m., the Jets held a series of internal meetings to discuss the change — a leadership council meeting (attended by Johnson), a players-only meeting and a full team meeting at which Ulbrich spoke. . The overriding theme, the players said, was the importance of responsibility.

Rodgers spoke at the players-only meeting and emphasized that same point, Tyler Conklin said Wednesday. The idea that Rodgers would fire Saleh was never discussed in the forum, according to Conklin.

“I don’t think anyone in this building, players-wise or anything else, thought he had anything to do with that,” Conklin said. ‘I really believe that. I mean, Aaron’s probably had more trouble with this than almost anyone else.”

During McAfee’s show, Rodgers expressed empathy for Saleh and his family, lamenting that it could have been a different story if he had played better. He did say he received a call from Johnson on Monday evening, adding that Saleh’s future did not come up in the conversation. The conversation lasted five minutes, he said.

“We had a quick conversation,” Rodgers said. “I appreciated the call. It was a genuine call. He just asked me how I was doing. Obviously I got rolled up in the game, my ankle took a big hit, so he just called and asked how I was doing me went.

“We talked about the game and how disappointed I was in my performance, that I’m going to play better and that we’re going to turn things around. And then we hung up. At that point, Woody has no obligation to let me know what his plans are. Whether or not he knew what he was doing at the time is irrelevant.”

On Tuesday, Johnson said the decision to fire Saleh (20-36) was “my decision and mine alone.” He only spoke about it briefly with general manager Joe Douglas before terminating Saleh, sources said. Johnson said he did not seek input from Rodgers.

The Rodgers-Saleh relationship has been under scrutiny since June, when Saleh fined the four-time MVP for vacationing in Egypt instead of attending a mandatory mini-camp. Speculation has bubbled up in recent weeks, but both men insisted their relationship was fine. Rodgers called it “a very solid relationship.”

On Wednesday, Saleh released a 181-word statement thanking the organization, its staff, the players and the fans. He made no mention of individuals.

“He was a big reason why I came to the Jets,” Rodgers said of Saleh.

“When it comes to me, I don’t feel like I have to defend myself or say anything,” Rodgers added. “There will always be stories and conversations about what I think and how much power I have and how much influence I have. It’s not something I worry about – it really isn’t.”

Meanwhile, the players were still processing the shooting. Linebacker CJ Mosley said he was “pretty shocked.” Offensive tackle Morgan Moses said it “caught a lot of people off guard.” Conklin said: “(I have) a heavy heart. Many of us have talked about this as a production company and as a group we didn’t produce, and Coach Saleh ultimately had to take the blame for that. “

Despite a two-game losing streak, the Jets (2-3) will play for a share of first place in the AFC East when they face the Buffalo Bills (3-2) Monday night at MetLife Stadium.