Aaron Rodgers believes Robert Saleh would still be in his job if he had started the season in better shape with the New York Jets.
Saleh was abruptly fired as Jets head coach on Tuesday after a 2-3 start to the season, and his team was defeated by the Minnesota Vikings in London on Sunday. Rodgers was 29 of 54 for 244 yards, two touchdown passes and three interceptions.
Rodgers, 40, spoke on the Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday to flatly deny that he called for Saleh’s firing.
A day later, the Jets quarterback admitted that if he had started the season in better shape, Saleh would still be the team’s coach.
“If I play better, this won’t happen,” Rodgers said. “When you make a change in the offense, it is a mirror that is shown to all of us who play. “When something like this happens, it’s a reset for everyone.”
Aaron Rodgers admitted his poor form may have cost Robert Saleh his job
Saleh was fired as head coach of the New York Jets on Tuesday after a 2-3 start to the season.
“We all feel very bad about the opportunity we had, that we squandered, that led to Robert’s firing and Jeff (Ulbrich’s) promotion.
“If I play better, this won’t happen. If we play better in attack, this won’t happen. It puts the spotlight on us and now it’s up to us to do it.
‘We have to be accountable to each other. “We have to raise the level of our game to the standard we set in training camp.”
Ulbrich, Saleh’s interim replacement and New York’s defensive coordinator, stripped Nathaniel Hackett of his play-calling duties, he announced Thursday.
In Hackett’s place, quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator Todd Downing will have full reins of the offense, starting with the Buffalo Bills on Monday night.
Hackett and Rodgers had previously worked together in Green Bay when the decorated quarterback won his third and fourth league MVP awards with the Packers.
But Rodgers has backed Downing to come in and make a difference.
“I knew there would be changes after Robert was let go,” Rodgers said. “I had conversations with Brick (Ulbrich) and told him I would support him no matter what he decided.”
Hackett will continue working with the Jets, despite the trade.
“It says a lot about the character he has and that he wants to stay, be here for me, be here for Todd,” Rodgers said. “I love Nathaniel, he’s one of my dearest friends in the league.”
Rodgers joined the Jets last year but played just four snaps under Saleh before rupturing his Achilles tendon in his debut against Monday’s opponents, the Bills.