Aaron Rodgers believes that Robert Saleh would still be in a job if he had started the season in better form for the New York Jets.
Saleh was abruptly fired as Jets head coach on Tuesday after a 2-3 start to the season, with his team being beaten 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 out on Pat McAfee’s show on Wednesday to strongly deny he called for Saleh to be fired.
A day later, the Jets quarterback has admitted that if he had started the season in better form, Saleh would still be the team’s coach.
‘If I play better, this doesn’t happen,’ Rodgers said. ‘When you make a change on the offense, it is a mirror held up for all of us that played. When something like this happens, it is a reset for everybody.’
Aaron Rodgers has admitted that his poor form may have cost Robert Saleh his job
Saleh was fired as New York Jets head coach on Tuesday after a 2-3 start to the season
‘We all feel terrible about the opportunity that we had, that we squandered, that led to Robert getting fired and Jeff (Ulbrich) getting promoted.
‘If I play better, this doesn’t happen. If we play better on offense, this doesn’t happen. It puts the spotlight on us and now it is on us to do this.
‘We have to be accountable to each other. We have got to raise the level of our play to the standard that we set in training camp.’
Ulbrich, Saleh’s provisional replacement and New York’s defensive coordinator, has stripped Nathaniel Hackett of his play-calling duties, he announced Thursday.
In Hackett’s place, quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator Todd Downing will be given the full reigns of the offense, starting with the Buffalo Bills on Monday night.
Hackett and Rodgers had previously worked together in Green Bay as 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’d be changed after they let Robert go,’ Rodgers said. ‘I had conversations with Brick (Ulbrich) and I told him I’d back him up, whatever he decided.’
Hackett is going to remain working with the Jets, despite the change.
‘It speaks volumes to the character that he has that he wants to stick around, be here for me, be here for Todd,’ Rodgers said. ‘I love Nathaniel, he is one of my dearest friends in the league.’
Rodgers joined the Jets last year but played only four snaps under Saleh before snapping his Achilles on his debut – against Monday’s opponents the Bills.
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