The firing of Robert Saleh by Woody Johnson shocked many in the NFL World. While the performance for the Jets hasn’t been up to par, sacking him mid-season wasn’t something many believed was in the cards.
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The news even shocked the Jets players including Aaron Rodgers, who like others didn’t get the chance to express his thanks to Saleh in person. However, A-Rod did not let the distance become a barrier and took to social media to offer his gratitude to the former coach.
Rodgers thanked Robert for bringing him to the Big Apple under his leadership. The 4-time MVP appeared thoroughly grateful for all opportunities and sent his love to Saleh and his family during this tough period.
“First of all thank you, Robert. Thanks for bringing me in and getting on board publicly. You know, I’m thankful for Robert. I’m thankful for his leadership of our team. I’m thankful for the conversations that we were able to have and him trusting me and the way he cared about his players.”
The QB highlighted how the situation was not one to be celebrated in any sense, pointing out that a real human is getting harmed and targeted by these accusations.
However, Rodgers soon shifted the narrative to himself. Aaron pointed out that he knows what people are saying about him on social media. But he doesn’t pay any credence to that and doesn’t feel it is necessary to defend himself.
He admitted caring about his teammates and how they are all embracing the changes that will be made going forward by sticking together. Taking accountability, Rodgers asserted that he needs to up his performance because they have a lot to play for.
As expected, the quarterback soon received major backlash online. Spectators called him out, blaming him for Saleh’s firing, stating “You did this.” Others believe he’s spreading lies while a few commented that everything he said appeared scripted, “He’s clearly reading a statement.”
Many pointed out Rodgers is the one running the team, and this post only seems like a cover-up:
— Josh McCaffrey (@JoshMcCaff911) October 10, 2024
A few commented,
— Josh McCaffrey (@JoshMcCaff911) October 10, 2024
Others said,
— Josh McCaffrey (@JoshMcCaff911) October 10, 2024
Amid Rodgers’ thank you video, reports have surfaced concerning some big developments Saleh planned on making to the Jets coaching room.
Saleh was planning a major overhaul before his firing
Before being pushed out of New York, Robert Saleh had planned to make major changes to the coaching department. Some believe these plans ultimately led to his firing. As reported by Sports Illustrated, Nathaniel Hackett could have been the casualty of changes the former 49ers coach was contemplating.
Per reports, Saleh wanted to fire Hackett, which isn’t surprising given the situation of the offense under him as the offensive coordinator. This could have been the final nail in the former Jets coach’s coffin, given Rodgers’s relationship with Hackett.
While rumors continue to make rounds, Woody Johnson believes Robert’s firing gives the Jets the best chance going forward as they have one of the best rosters in the league. But him not firing Hackett, despite the poor offensive run, sends a message that there is a lot more going on behind the scenes.
Meanwhile, Jeff Ulbrich gets the task of steadying the ship before the front office brings in a replacement for Saleh. People have touted Bill Belichick, Bobby Slowik, Ben Johnson, Kliff Kingsbury, and Mike Vrabel, among others, as potential replacements for Saleh.
