Aaron Rodgers isn't holding back. A day after the New York Jets dropped the hammer on head coach Robert Saleh, Rodgers took to The Pat McAfee Show to set the record straight — and he's not thrilled with the rumors swirling around. The veteran QB made it clear he's not to blame for Saleh's firing, calling the idea "ridiculous" and "patently false."
"I love Coach Saleh," he said, emphasizing that the coach had been a big part of why he came to New York in the first place. But in classic Rodgers fashion, he didn't shy away from the reality of the situation. "We needed change. This is a tough business."
Rodgers admitted to having spoken with Jets owner Woody Johnson the night before Saleh got the boot. However, Rodgers said their conversation was mostly about his health after Sunday's loss to the Minnesota Vikings in London, where he picked up a low ankle sprain. "Woody [had] no obligation to let me know of his plans," Rodgers pointed out, brushing off the notion that he had any inside track on Saleh's fate.
When asked if players were blindsided by Saleh's exit, Rodgers danced around the specifics but made it clear the locker room was feeling the weight of the decision. "Everybody was feeling for Robert and worried about him." Despite the drama, Rodgers made sure to back offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, with whom he has a strong relationship, and threw his support behind interim coach Jeff Ulbrich.
"We're behind Coach Ulbrich. There has to be some change. We, as players, need to be accountable," Rodgers said, suggesting that maybe if he'd played better on Sunday, the whole situation could've been avoided. "It's on us now. We gotta fix that part."
For Rodgers, the Saleh firing is just another reminder of the pressure cooker that is New York football, and if the team doesn't right the ship soon, more heads could roll.
