Robert Saleh's preseason decision surprises New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers

The New York Jets have three preseason games on their summer schedule, and quarterback Aaron Rodgers may not take a snap during any of them.

After four straight years of watching the Green Bay Packers exhibition contests from the sideline, the 40-year-old Rodgers played two offensive series in last year's Jets preseason finale. This year, the quarterback and coaching staff look like they're leaning in the other direction.

Earlier this week during training camp in Florham Park, New York's fourth-year head coach Robert Saleh ruled Rodgers out for the first two preseason games and suggested that his status for the August 24 affair against the local rival New York Giants is to be determined.

"My instinct is no, but I want to leave it open," said Saleh on Tuesday. "That third game is the one where we're deciding. He definitely won't play the first two, but the discussion on the third one we just haven't quite had yet."

After Wednesday's practice, Rodgers directly addressed the issue while speaking to reporters.

"That's Robert's [Saleh] decision. I've never told him I don't want to play in the preseason," said Rodgers.

In his 20th NFL training camp , Rodgers has seen all sides of the debate on whether to put starting quarterbacks in harm's way in exchange for a few exhibition reps.

"There's a lot of thoughts about whether there's any particular gain from it. We used to play all the time, it wasn't even a question we'd play, 10 to 15 [plays] the first one, then a quarter and a half on the second one, end of the third quarter on the third one," said Rodgers.

Since the four-time NFL MVP was drafted in 2005, sentiment has changed across most of the league. Joint training camp practices have become somewhat of a substitute for preseason games.

"Now, nobody wants to play, they don't want to play their guys, it's different. To combat that, now we're doing all these practices with other teams, so we have three of those," said Rodgers.

The Jets will practice against all three of their preseason opponents in August. Even with that added competition, Rodgers won't refuse the chance play in front of the MetLife Stadium crowd on August 24.

"If he decides he wants me to play against the Giants, I'll strap it up and look forward to that," said Rodgers.

Having fully recovered from the Achilles tear that derailed the 2023 season, Rodgers does not foresee the injury factoring into the decision-making process.

"I don't have any restrictions, I'm doing keepers, rollouts, so it was news to me yesterday when he [Saleh] said I wasn't going to play in the first two," said Rodgers.