New York Jets owner Woody Johnson admits he spoke to Aaron Rodgers shortly before firing Robert Saleh. Just not about the head coach.
After three losing seasons and a 2-3 start to a year in which they had Super Bowl aspirations, the Jets made a head coaching change Tuesday morning. The decision comes amid rumors that Saleh and Rodgers were not getting along, albeit rumors they both denied. The decision also comes amid rumors that Johnson, the former United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom, may have been embarrassed by the Jets latest loss in London.
Considering the power Rodgers appears to have within the Jets organization, there were questions about whether he influenced Johnson’s decision to pull the plug on Saleh just five weeks into the season. Tuesday afternoon, Saleh admitted he spoke to Rodgers Monday night, but claimed they didn’t speak about Saleh, something Fox Sports Radio host Colin Cowherd found hard to believe.
“Get a load of this nonsense. Woody Johnson said he spoke to Aaron Rodgers last night, but they didn’t talk about the firing at all…what a bunch of hooey.” – Colin Cowherd pic.twitter.com/fUD2WB1RcU
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 8, 2024
“Get a load of this nonsense,” Cowherd began. “Woody Johnson said he spoke to Aaron Rodgers last night, but they didn’t talk about the firing at all. He said they discussed the game and Rodgers passing 60,000 passing yards, but he did not discuss Robert Saleh with him. What a bunch of hooey. Johnson says this is the best team he’s had in 25 years, feels like they needed a new direction, the move gives them the best chance to win.
“When’s the last time you head an interim coach leads team to Super Bowl? Yeah, interim coach trying to beat Andy Reid. Yeah, nothing says Super Bowl like Andy Reid and Larry the cable guy hooking up in a big AFC playoff game. You gotta be kidding me. Does Woody Johnson think we’re…?”
There are also now reports that Saleh was considering firing Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett before he was fired by Johnson himself. Hackett, however, undoubtedly has the support of Rodgers considering their well-documented relationship.
Saleh thought his job was secure enough to think about firing Hackett, but was fired himself the morning after Johnson had a conversation with Rodgers. And we’re supposed to believe the Jets owner never discussed any of this with his star future Hall-of-Fame quarterback? That seems odd.
“You don’t think Woody ever asked about the head coach?” Cowherd said of the owner’s admitted conversation with Rodgers. “Because if you were gonna fire the head coach, you were thinking about firing the head coach…Woody Johnson would have been better to just lie and say, ‘I never talked to him.’”
Johnson being truthful, or maybe half-truthful also now puts Rodgers in an awkward position. Rodgers can meet the media and attempt to deny having any input in Johnson’s decision to fire Saleh. But he can’t deny having a conversation with Johnson shortly before Saleh was fired.
[The Herd]
