The Jets suffered a hugely disappointing loss to the Broncos on Sunday, and a former Gang Green quarterback thinks there is something wrong between Aaron Rodgers and head coach Robert Saleh.
After a dominant home win over the Patriots in Week 3, the Jets came crashing back down to earth as they lost 10-9 to Denver and failed to score a touchdown in front of their home fans.
Now radio host Boomer Esiason, who played for the Jets from 1993 to 1995, has claimed there is a “major problem” between the team’s star quarterback and his coach.
“I’m trying to see if I see any interactions (between Rodgers and Saleh) on the sidelines or anything – nothing, nothing. I see a man walking right past another man,” he began Boomer and Gio from WFAN show.
“I had those days mainly with two coaches, and that’s because I didn’t trust the guy, and I didn’t like him. I didn’t know what he was doing and it made me angry. And if you read my body language at that time, you could see that I was devastated.
Aaron Rodgers was understandably unhappy after the Jets’ 10-9 home loss on Sunday
It was the 35th loss of Robert Saleh’s coaching tenure in New York – compared to just 20 wins
“And when I see Aaron Rodgers on the sideline and I see him after the game in the post-game press conference… there’s a big problem. Both will deny it, I guarantee it, but there is a problem. And that’s because with a 40-year-old Hall of Fame quarterback, you’re dealing with a coach that I don’t think he respects.”
Esiason’s comments came after an awkward response from Rodgers during the post-game press conference regarding Saleh’s comments about the team’s pre-snap cadences.
After the Jets had five false starts against Denver, Saleh wondered if his team was “good enough” to handle the current cadence before the snap. But Rodgers appeared to disagree with the suggestion that it should be ‘done back’.
‘That’s one way to do it. The other way is to hold them accountable,” he said. “We haven’t had a problem so far.”
Rodgers and Saleh appeared to have a tense moment in Week 3, but Rodgers downplayed it
Former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason thinks there is a “major problem” between the couple
Rodgers and Saleh also had an apparently tense sideline conversation after the Jets took the lead over the Patriots in Week 3. The quarterback lightly shoved Saleh and many fans thought he told his coach it was so. ‘too early’ become overly excited.
Rodgers, though replayed the incident after the match, he said the moment “wasn’t awkward at all” and that he in fact said “two points ahead” – presumably a common refrain from Saleh.
However, the head coach’s resume remains in the spotlight. Although the Jets were hamstrung by Rodgers’ torn Achilles last season, Saleh is just 20-35 in New York.
Rodgers, meanwhile, is a 10-time Pro Bowler, four-time All-Pro and one-time Super Bowl champion. He and the Jets will look to bounce back this weekend against the undefeated Vikings.