‘Look at the facts’: Wild ‘coach killer’ theory behind sacking that stunned the NFL

The NY Jets stunned the NFL world when they cut ties with head coach Robert Saleh on Tuesday morning (AEST), and many are asking the same question. Was quarterback Aaron Rodgers behind it?

Saleh and the Jets weren’t long off the plane from London following a loss to the Vikings in the UK to drop to an underwhelming 2-3.

While the Jets have so far underachieved this season, Saleh’s axing was a surprise.

Watch an average of 6 games each week during the regular season, plus every game of the NFL Postseason including the Super Bowl, LIVE on ESPN with Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today >

It seems like an eternity ago that Saleh was a part of the euphoric Jets travelling party that flew to Malibu to convince Rodgers that the twilight years of his career should be as a New York Jet.

Rodgers gushed about playing for “Rob.”

But then his Achilles would not allow him to play more than four plays in 2023 for “Rob.”

Five games and four plays proved to be enough for him.

If Woody Johnson and GM Joe Douglas came to Rodgers to inform him that they wanted to fire “Rob,” Rodgers could have saved “Rob.”

Because the Jets moved heaven and earth for Rodgers, he has enjoyed the same cachet as Tom Brady did for all those years, that Peyton Manning did for all those years.

As Broadway Joe Namath did for all those years as No. 12.

Randall Cobb? Let’s make him a Jet. Allen Lazard? Let’s make him a Jet. Nathaniel Hackett is the OC? How’d ya know I’d be in favour of that?

Aaron Rodgers didn’t fire Robert Saleh.

But you’d be naive if you don’t think his fingerprints are all over this, especially following reports released in the aftermath of Saleh’s sacking which suggest the former head coach was planning on firing offensive co-ordinator and close Rodgers’ confidant Nathanial Hackett.

Unfortunately for Saleh, he’d get fired before putting that plan into motion.

Naturally, based on the timing of Saleh’s sacking, it led many to speculate on social media that after hearing Hackett may be in Saleh’s line of sight, Rodgers made the call to Jets owner Woody Johnson.

However, a New York sports beat writer said the reports of Hackett’s impending sacking weren’t entirely true although a demotion was on the cards.

Five minutes after Saleh’s decision to demote Hackett of play-calling duties, Saleh would be packing up his things.

Johnson says he made the call without Rodgers’ input, stating: “We are not where we should be given our expectations.”

Rodgers came here to win his second Super Bowl and the Jets’ first since Jan. 12, 1969, and establish a lasting New York legacy.

He has looked and undoubtedly felt like a battered 40-year-old quarterback the last two weeks, and it is on him more than ever now to Win Big in this 2-3 Win Now season.

Johnson was overseas as U.S. ambassador to the U.K. when brother Christopher hired Saleh to replace Adam Gase. But it was Woody who announced with three games left in the 2023 season that Saleh and GM Joe Douglas would get a mulligan and return in 2024.

“My decision is to keep them,” Woody Johnson told The Post’s Brian Costello. “I think we’ve had some very positive moves. The culture of the team is a lot better. The defence is better. The offence needs a few pieces.”

I believe it was the right move at the time and this was Aaron Rodgers on “The Pat McAfee Show:”

“I believe in the leadership that we have here.”

If Rodgers had uttered those words to Woody Johnson before Bloody Tuesday, “Rob” would still be the 20-36 Jets head coach.

But defensive co-ordinator Jeff Ulbrich, who can command a room and has head coaching chops, is now the Jets head coach.

Douglas, in his limited sessions with the media, has championed Saleh at every turn and the culture he built and their simpatico working relationship.

Everyone saw Saleh try to hug Rodgers after the Jets took a two-score lead against the Patriots and Rodgers push him away and flare at him.

Everybody heard Saleh characterise Rodgers blowing off mandatory minicamp for that trip to Egypt as an “unexcused absence.”

Everybody heard Saleh and Rodgers spar over how much of a weapon the future first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback’s cadence is.

When I asked Saleh last week about his relationship with Rodgers, he said the only possible thing he could say publicly: “It’s fantastic. I love him.”

Rodgers in London said the only possible thing he could say publicly: “We’re really good friends. We enjoy each other. We spend time almost every day, I’m in his office talking about things, talking about the energy of the team, the focus of the team, what we need to get done, how I can help him out, how he can help me out.

“So we’ve got a great relationship.”

Of course, just because you like the guy a lot as a friend doesn’t mean you like him a lot as your head coach.

Saleh is a good man, everyone likes him. But he was not the CEO the Jets thought they were hiring. Obliging the owner by suddenly offering his expertise in the offensive meetings was laughable.

Saleh will land on his feet as the fiery defensive co-ordinator he used to be with the 49ers. He and Ulbrich know defence.

In his defence, he never really had a chance with Zach Wilson, the second overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, as his quarterback.

On the other hand, he failed to develop him. On the other hand, offensive co-ordinator Nathaniel Hackett was the lure to reel in Rodgers.

Woody Johnson’s statement on Bloody Tuesday:

The Jets are one game behind the Bills in the division. Josh Allen will return to the scene of the Achilles crime on Monday night. “Rob” will not.

If Woody Johnson broke the news to Rodgers that he was contemplating firing “Rob,” here is the bottom line:

He could have told him R-E-L-A-X. And he did not.