Aaron Rodgers slams rumors he was responsible for Jets firing Robert Saleh

The New York Jets shocked the NFL world on Tuesday morning when it was announced that head coach Robert Saleh had been fired. Even more shocking is that Saleh was not allowed to address the players he was leading and was instead escorted out of the building by security.

Read more: Robert Selah releases statement after shockingly fired by Jets

Naturally, many wondered what quarterback Aaron Rodgers would say about the situation. Reports came in that Rodgers was as blindsided by the decision as Saleh. Rodgers also postponed his regular Tuesday appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” to Wednesday, likely due to the nature of the incident.

Now, Rodgers has appeared on the show to talk about Saleh’s firing and address rumors that he was somehow responsible for the former coach’s dismissal.

When speaking to host Pat McAfee, Rodgers stated, “I resent any of these accusations because they are patently false.”

Rodgers being accused of helping the situation isn’t shocking at all. The famous quarterback used his NFL status to bring in players he prefers to play with, like wide receiver Randall Cobb. However, that doesn’t mean he would be responsible or have the kind of influence to ensure that an owner fires a coach who leads an organization.

Rodgers said he was a fan of Saleh, and hiring the coach to lead the Jets was one of the reasons the longtime quarterback decided to sign with New York.

“Robert is a fantastic human being and an excellent football coach…” added Rodgers.

Rodgers wanted to remind everyone that there is a human being in all of this, and Saleh losing his job is not something that should be underestimated in any way. He reminded viewers about how “difficult” the NFL business can be.

Saleh was 2-3 on the season and 20-36 as a head coach. It’s not surprising that he was relieved of his duties as head coach of the Jets. However, it was a bit of a shock that Jets owner Woody Johnson decided to part ways with Saleh now.

The Jets have been quite competitive this season and are 2-3. It would be very different if the team was 0-5 and was eliminated by all opponents. That wasn’t the case.

Despite rumors that Rodgers was somehow responsible for Saleh’s dismissal, he appears to be genuine as he was as shocked as everyone else was by the news. He also reminded everyone that Saleh is a good coach, something the entire league knows as well.

Saleh has been a defensive backs coach for many NFL teams and most recently was the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers from 2017 to 2020. He was instrumental in helping the 49ers team become relevant again.

Although he has stepped down as head coach of the Jets, it is more than likely that he will land a job as defensive coordinator in the next hiring cycle.

To learn more about the Jets, visit Newsweek Sports.