Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III believes he spotted the moment when it was obvious that there was no going back with Robert Saleh and Aaron Rodgers together in Gotham.
In a stunning move, the Jets announced on Tuesday that they had fired coach Saleh after four seasons at the helm. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich was named the interim head coach.
There are whispers that Rodgers played a hand in Saleh’s firing. The four-time MVP notably clashed with Mike McCarthy in Green Bay before the Packers fired him late in the 2018 season, and the Jets have catered to Rodgers’ demands since he arrived via trade 18 months ago.
Griffin took to X/Twitter to remind everyone of the awkward handshake/hug (?) during the Jets’ Week 3 Thursday night game against the New England Patriots. Perhaps we should have known at this point that the Rodgers-Saleh relationship was beyond repair:
The Jets fired Robert Saleh. It was more than just a shove. https://t.co/4ih4Mvjbv2
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) October 8, 2024
For what it’s worth, Aaron Rodgers stated during today’s appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” that he had nothing to do with Robert Saleh’s firing.
“As far as any of the ridiculous allegations that are out there..
I’m not gonna spend more than one sentence in response to it..
I resent any of those accusations because they are patently false” ~ @AaronRodgers12 #PMSLive https://t.co/jHz7zDLnto pic.twitter.com/wrRzN9Rnd1
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 9, 2024
Over his three seasons and a bit with the Jets, Saleh compiled a record of 20-36-0. His best finishes were in 2022 and 2023, with the team compiling back-to-back 7-10 seasons despite awful performances by their quarterbacks.
Robert Saleh Will Be Back To Coaching Soon
Saleh probably won’t be hired as a head coach again any time soon, but it’d be a stunner if he wasn’t picked up as an assistant between now and the 2025 coach hiring cycle. Saleh was one of football’s best defensive coordinators during his time with Kyle Shanahan’s San Francisco 49ers (2017 to 2020), and he turned New York’s defense into one of football’s best after a trying year in 2021.
Saleh connects with his players well and was on the Seattle Seahawks’ staff when they won Super Bowl 48 behind the Legion of Boom. Any team would be lucky to have Saleh on their staff, and don’t be surprised if his firing doesn’t lead to any new results in the Big Apple.
