LONDON — On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers let the world know Friday that he doesn’t like the way his relationship with coach Robert Saleh is being portrayed back home.
“I think there’s some driving force trying to put a wedge [from] outside the facility between Robert and I,” Rodgers told a crowded news conference at the Jets’ team hotel, where they practiced in preparation for the Minnesota Vikings (4-0) on Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Rodgers didn’t get into specifics, but he reiterated there’s no rift between him and Saleh. They’ve been under the microscope since June, when Rodgers was fined by Saleh for vacationing in Egypt during a mandatory minicamp. Recent comments by Saleh about Rodgers’ cadence also have fueled media speculation.
“We’re really good friends,” Rodgers said. “We enjoy each other. We spend time almost every day in his office talking about things and talking about the energy of the team, focus of the team and 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.”
Rodgers’ comments came in response to a question about whether he has discussed the cadence controversy with Saleh. It was sparked after last week’s 10-9 loss to the Denver Broncos, a game in which the Jets committed five false-start penalties.
Saleh, in his postgame news conference, suggested they might have to examine whether to scale back Rodgers’ sophisticated cadence — one of the hallmarks of his game. The next day, Saleh backtracked, claiming his remarks were misconstrued by the media. By then, Rodgers already had made it clear his cadence wasn’t the issue.
On Friday, Rodgers stuck to the company line, saying Saleh’s postgame answer “maybe didn’t actually reflect his feelings. Cadence has been a weapon. I think he kind of went in and got a chance Monday to respond to all that.”
Saleh, for his part, said his relationship with Rodgers is “fantastic. Love the guy.”
The Jets (2-2) have reached a pivotal juncture in their season, and now they’re dealing with the Davante Adams trade rumors. The Las Vegas Raiders reportedly are open to trading Adams, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting Wednesday that Adams would like to play with a quarterback he knows — either Rodgers or Derek Carr of the New Orleans Saints.
“I don’t know how much I can say about him, but I still have a close friendship with him,” said Rodgers, mindful of potential tampering violations. “We spend time in the offseason together. He’s a great guy and a great player and the rest of that is out of my hands.”
Rodgers and Adams spent eight seasons together with the Green Bay Packers, forming one of the NFL’s most dangerous quarterback-receiver tandems. The Jets have three experienced receivers in Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard and Mike Williams, but they’re believed to have interest in Adams.
The Jets are in win-now mode, facing huge expectations, and ownership could be getting antsy.
“Pressure? In New York?” Saleh said with a smile, drawing laughs from the British media. “You could be an expansion team, and it’s the same amount of pressure. It doesn’t matter. You have to win. It’s New York; the expectation is to win. When you win, you’re going to the Super Bowl. When you lose, fire everybody.”