Robert Saleh and Aaron Rodgers seem to have open lines of communication, which is particularly important for the quarterback after how things finished off with the Green Bay Packers. But that doesn't mean there aren't stressful moments. And the New York Jets' leadership structure felt that when Rodgers skipped mandatory minicamp to make a pre-planned trip to Egypt.
According to Dianna Russini, from The Athletic , Rodgers questioned how Saleh worded the quarterback's absence.
"The 40-year-old skipped practice the week of June 10 for a trip to Egypt. It was something he planned long before these practices, and something he alerted coach Robert Saleh to ahead of time. The organization knew he'd miss the entire week, even if many outside the building originally misunderstood it as a one-day absence. None of it came as a surprise to the front office or coaches, even though Saleh called it an 'unexcused absence' during a news conference.
Rodgers went to Saleh after that to question why he would call it unexcused. According to Russini, the head coach and his quarterback ironed things out and 'everyone's great now.'"
The Jets could have probably handled the situation better from an external perspective. Rodgers participated in most of the team's offseason program, including voluntary team activities. If Saleh, for instance, had said that Rodgers would be out of mandatory minicamp for personal reasons but it wouldn't be an "excused absence" for locker room purposes, it might have been a one-day story, not the big offseason topic it ended up being.
On-field impact
Rodgers and Saleh's relationship will also be tested because of how the offense is built. It had been reported that the Jets tried to add another offensive mind to support offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, and Russini reports that the preferred option was former Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith, who later opted to go to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Rodgers, however, trusts Hackett since their times together in Green Bay.
"You should trust me and I trust Nathaniel. So, to me, that's end of story," Rodgers told SiriusXM back in May. "There's been a lot of BS that's been said out there. There's a lot of things that have gone on the last couple years that he's dealt with that I think he's handled very professionally. And at the end of the day, I think you gotta trust his and my working relationship and the conversations that we have. You gotta trust the staff."
Last year, the Jets finished the season dead last in offensive DVOA under Hackett. But Rodgers got hurt after four plays, and the team started a combination of Zach Wilson, Tim Boyle, and Trevor Siemian for the rest of the season. So, while it's fair to have questions about Hackett, it's completely realistic to project a better performance in 2024.
Related: Jets reportedly tried, but failed to address big coaching staff concern for 2024
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