Despite meeting Rodgers before Saleh’s firing, Jets owner Johnson denies player influence.
The Jets made waves across the NFL on Tuesday by letting go of head coach Robert Saleh after a 2-3 start. Given the intense pressure on the Jets to perform this season, the decision wasn’t entirely unexpected.
The team had been underperforming, and it was clear Saleh’s position was at risk whenever they fell below a .500 record. It was a well-known reality as the season began.
What made the situation even more intriguing was the timing—Robert Saleh’s firing came just a day after Jets owner Woody Johnson met with quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Johnson revealed the details on Tuesday, explaining that while he did meet with Rodgers the night before the decision, the quarterback had no say in the matter. According to Johnson, he alone made the call.
However, this didn’t stop Jets fans from speculating about Rodgers’ involvement in Saleh’s departure. One fan remarked,
“Robert Saleh goes down, while Nate Hackett survives… the unchecked power of a 40-year-old Aaron Rodgers knows no bounds.”
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported, “Jets owner Woody Johnson said he spoke to Aaron Rodgers on Monday night, but it wasn’t about Robert Saleh. Johnson said Rodgers had no input in the decision made this morning.”
Despite Johnson’s denial, Fox Sports suggested that the firing might be a result of Rodgers’ growing influence, labeling it a “coup d’etat”. Since joining the Jets in 2023, Rodgers’ authority has steadily increased, with the team aligning its strategies around him.
Although Rodgers might not have directly influenced Saleh’s exit, his presence could be one of the factors behind it. The Jets have dismissed a head coach mid-season for the first time in 25 years, “This was not an easy decision, but we are not where we should be given our expectations.”
Johnson confirmed that defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will step in as the interim head coach. “He is a tough coach who has the respect of the coaches and players on this team,” Johnson stated.
“I believe he, along with the staff, can bring out the best in our talented team and achieve the goals we set for this season.”
ESPN analyst Shannon Sharpe criticized Aaron Rodgers for his alleged role in the firing of Robert Saleh, calling out the chaos within the New York Jets in a fiery commentary.
Sharpe, appearing live on First Take with colleagues Stephen A. Smith, Domonique Foxworth, and Molly Qerim, expressed his shock and pointed fingers at Rodgers, blaming him for the Jets’ turmoil.
In a heated segment, the former tight end accused the four-time MVP of undermining the head coach, pushing him out of his role through his actions.
“Saleh didn’t lose this team,” Sharpe asserted on the show. “Aaron Rodgers undercut this man by not coming to minicamp. We heard the mumbles saying how that looked because it was mandatory.”
“The moment Aaron Rodgers did that, Robert Saleh had no control over the team because the guys would be saying, ‘This guy is supposed to be our leader, this is the guy we’re supposed to count on.’”
Sharpe continued, “Boy, this is a bad look on Aaron Rodgers. He doesn’t realize how bad this looks. Can you imagine Tom Brady later in his career getting the coach fired? Can you imagine Peyton Manning later in his career having a coach fired on his watch?”
“That bad man has become more problems than he’s worth.”
The Jets, despite welcoming a healthy Aaron Rodgers back, have struggled in the early part of the NFL season. Their most recent setback against the Vikings left them with a disappointing 2-3 record.
Just a few days after the defeat in London—where Rodgers notably wore a Lebanon flag on the sidelines—management removed Saleh from his position.
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