Did Aaron Rodgers get Robert Saleh fired because he wanted to fire Jets OC Nathaniel Hackett?
As the NFL processes the shock firing of the Jets coach, we’ve learned that he himself wanted to change personnel. So, who is to blame for the team’s woes?
There is a lot to unpack in New York and while much of it is speculation for the moment, the one thing that is not is the Jets’ record which is to say, it’s awful. Is that the fault of the now-ousted head coach, his suspect offensive coordinator, or the veteran quarterback who is rumored to have too much power?
Robert Saleh wanted Nathaniel Hackett out and that may have been the problem
Some may recall that shortly after taking over back in July 2023, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton took aim at his predecessor, the man who had led the Broncos to a disastrous 2022-23 campaign, Nathaniel Hackett. At the time, Payton called it “one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL.” Not exactly professional, but not entirely untrue. Nonetheless, the backlash was immense, and rightly so. It didn’t help that Payton’s initial campaign was shaky, while Hackett moved on to an OC job with the New York Jets who landed four-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Indeed, having worked closely with Hackett during his time with the Green Bay Packers, Rodgers was one of the staunchest defenders of his offensive coordinator following Payton’s comments. “He (Hackett) is arguably my favorite coach I’ve ever had in the NFL. I thought it was way out of line, inappropriate, and I think he needs to keep my coaches’ names out of his mouth,” Rodgers said at the time before going on at length about Hackett’s character as both a coach and father. If it wasn’t clear, he really likes Nathaniel Hackett.
So, with that, we come back to the present and an interesting report that suggests that Robert Saleh was in fact considering firing Hackett before he himself was shown the door on Tuesday. What’s more, is that it’s also understood that the move could have happened on Tuesday as well. Then, we have another report that indicated that Saleh didn’t want to axe his OC but instead wanted to reduce his game-day responsibilities, turning over play-calling to offensive assistant Todd Downing.
To be clear, we’re not saying that Aaron Rodgers got Robert Saleh fired because of his intent to at the least demote Hackett, but when you consider all of the factors in play, the idea starts to gain traction. Consider for a moment that the Jets have been poor offensively in 2024 which is on the OC. How poor? New York ranks 27th in offensive yards per game (286.6) and 23rd in points per game (18.6) through the first five games of the season. Mind you, this is a team with arguably one of the best quarterbacks in the modern era under center and a whole host of talented runners and receivers. Add to that the recent public spats between Rodgers and Saleh and the fierce protective nature that Rodgers has shown when it comes to Hackett - “My love for [Hackett] goes deep,” he once said - and it begins to look like Saleh chose the wrong guy and was made to pay for it.
Of course, this is all speculation and when all is said and done, the buck stops at the head coach when a team fails to perform. What that means is that the Jets who are currently 2-3 now face the prospect of life under interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich, with Nathaniel Hackett still holding the offensive reins, and a misfiring Aaron Rodgers still in the middle. Up next for the team is a Week 6 dance with AFC East rivals the Buffalo Bills who sit on 3-2, which would be an ideal time to prove that it was Saleh and not Rodgers or Hackett who was the problem. Watch this space.