Just before the shocking termination of head coach Robert Saleh, quarterback Aaron Rodgers of the New York Jets made an appearance to deny allegations of a falling out between the two.
According to Rodgers, the two had a "great relationship". However, the squad had a difficult start to the season, sitting at 2-3 before Saleh was fired on Tuesday following a 23-17 loss in London to the Minnesota Vikings.
In the interim, defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich is leading the team as head coach; Bill Belichick, Pete Carroll, and Mike Vrabel are being mentioned as possible full-time replacements. The departure of Saleh has focused the spotlight on his relationships with Rodgers, especially now that the quarterback is back in action following an Achilles injury from last season.
Tension over the pre-snap cadence
Their relationship has been under intense scrutiny, especially during a heated scene in Week 3 when Rodgers appeared to reject Saleh's plea for an embrace. Saleh's suggestion to change Rodgers' pre-snap cadence further fuelled the flames, as it became the center of their alleged disagreement.
Following a humiliating 10-9 defeat to the Denver Broncos, he conceded: "We need to assess our ability and readiness to manage the increased pace." Cadence had not been an issue at all camps. It seemed that things had been going really well for our operation. It obviously took a significant step back today."
However, on Monday, Saleh appeared to take back what he had said previously, stating that "cadence" and "operation" are two different things, and that "we're always going to push the envelope with cadence all the time."
"But with regards to operation, getting in and out of the huddle, getting to the line of scrimmage, the communication that's being had, those are all things that we can continue to look at and clean up," he continued, elaborating on the need for better team dynamics. However, that's part of our identity from a cadence perspective, and we'll keep pushing the boundaries in that regard."
Rodgers denies a falling out
Despite not agreeing with Saleh's opening comments, Rodgers moved quickly to allay any rumors that there was a falling out between them, saying, "I believe there's some driving force trying to put a wedge [from] outside the facility between Robert and me, we have a close friendship.
"We take pleasure in one another. Almost every day, we spend time in his office discussing various topics and the team's concentration and energy. What has to be done, how I can assist him, and how he can assist me? We do have a wonderful relationship."
In response to the coach's remarks, the quarterback said, "[They] might not have really captured his emotions. Cadence served as a tool. I believe he sort of went in and had an opportunity to address everything on Monday."
Ulbrich takes over as interim coach
After sacking the troubled head coach on Tuesday morning, the New York Jets have already sought a replacement for Robert Saleh.
For the balance of the season, New York stated that Jeff Ulbrich, the defensive coordinator for the Jets, will assume the head coaching role and guide the struggling team.
