Jets’ Aaron Rodgers takes blame for Robert Saleh firing: ‘I play higher, this does not occur’

The Robert Saleh period is over for the New York Jets after three-plus seasons, as crew proprietor Woody Johnson fired the top coach on Tuesday within the wake of the crew’s 2-3 begin and elevated defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich to interim head coach.Â

Moreover, Ulbrich took play-calling duties away from offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett in favor of quarterbacks coach and passing recreation coordinator Todd Downing regardless of experiences that quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ friendship with Hackett might have contributed to Saleh’s firing, because the deposed head coach had apparently deliberate to make the identical change.

Who’s in the end in charge for these adjustments having to be made?

Rodgers expressed to the New York media on Thursday that he feels answerable for Saleh’s dismissal.

“The thought of manifestation includes consideration and intention, and a phrase that goes together with that’s accountability. We must be accountable to one another. When one thing like this occurs, it is a reset for everyone. While you make a change on the offense, it is a mirror that is held up for all of us who performed, and all of us really feel horrible in regards to the alternative that we had — that we squandered — that led to Robert getting fired and Hack getting demoted. I play higher, this does not occur. We play higher on offense, this does not occur,” Rodgers mentioned, by way of SNY.

“I feel it places a highlight on us, and now it is on us to do that. We must be accountable to one another, and we obtained to lift the extent of our play to the usual that we set throughout coaching camp.”

Saleh’s firing got here after the Jets dropped back-to-back video games, solely mustering 26 whole factors between a 10-9 loss at dwelling to the Denver Broncos and a 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in London.

In New York’s first 5 video games, Rodgers has totaled 1,093 passing yards, seven passing touchdowns, 4 interceptions and an 81.6 passer ranking, whereas finishing 61.0% of his passes, a number of the worst marks by way of this level of the season within the four-time NFL MVP’s 17-year profession as a starter. Rodgers is in his first full season below middle for the Jets, as he suffered a torn Achilles in Week 1 of final season. Whereas he suffered a low-ankle sprain final week, Rodgers is not anticipated to overlook time.

As an entire, New York’s offense is averaging simply 206.2 passing yards (nineteenth within the NFL), 80.4 dashing yards (final), 286.6 whole yards (twenty seventh) and 18.6 factors (twenty fifth) per recreation this season.

The Jets went a mixed 20-36 below Saleh from 2021-24. Hackett, who was Rodgers’ offensive coordinator with the Inexperienced Bay Packers from 2019-21, is in his second season as New York’s offensive coordinator, a tenure which started after he was fired 15 video games into his first season as the top coach of the Broncos in 2022 (they went 4-11 below Hackett earlier than the change).

As for many who have been promoted, Ulbrich had been New York’s defensive coordinator since 2021 and Downing was beforehand the offensive coordinator for the Raiders (2017) and Tennessee Titans (2021-22) earlier than becoming a member of the Jets’ employees in 2023.

Rodgers and the Jets host the Buffalo Payments (3-2) in Week 6 on Monday evening, and will transfer into first place within the AFC East with a win in that recreation.

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