The Jets didn’t have much to complain about in the first half of their “Thursday Night Football” matchup against the Patriots — unless you’re Aaron Rodgers, apparently.
Rodgers was slinging it early on in his first home game since his 2023 Achilles tear, but Amazon Prime Video cameras caught him appearing to express some frustration with coach Robert Saleh on the sideline.
The Jets gave Rodgers a significant voice in the organization when they traded for him in 2023, leading some to believe the dynamics of the team wouldn’t be sustainable. As 2024 approached, though, all seemed well off the field, and a win over the Titans in Week 2 seemed to reinforce that the Rodgers experiment was moving in the right direction.
Here’s the video of the interaction between Rodgers and Saleh from Thursday’s game at MetLife Stadium.
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Robert Saleh-Aaron Rodgers shove
Video of a clash between Saleh and Rodgers caught the attention of some “Thursday Night Football” viewers, with some believing Rodgers lightly shoved Saleh.
It wasn’t totally clear what Rodgers said to Saleh, and it’s also not definitive that it was even a moment of frustration for the Jets QB — the clip was broadcast after replay determined Breece Hall scored a touchdown, but it’s not clear whether that’s when the interaction actually occurred.
Some fans speculated Rodgers told Saleh, “Don’t call that.”
After the game, though, Saleh was asked about the interaction, saying he and Rodgers have wanted to “get the defense a two-score lead.”
Rodgers also answered a question about it, saying he “didn’t know (Saleh) was going for the hug” but also mentioning the two-score leads he and the coach have talked about previously.
Both downplayed the incident, with Rodgers smiling and Saleh laughing about it. It seems likely this won’t be an issue going forward, but that probably won’t stop the New York media from talking about it.
Now 40, Rodgers has embraced his role as the elder statesman in New York. A video of Rodgers seemingly arguing with WR Garrett Wilson during training camp went viral over the summer, but the four-time MVP also downplayed the moment as two teammates “passionately talking about the details of a situation that might not have to do with either of us.”
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It’s not uncommon for a veteran quarterback to be tough on his teammates, but it’s not as common for quarterbacks to clash with their head coach. The incident didn’t appear to impact the Jets’ offense, as Rodgers finished the first half 15-of-20 for 170 yards and a touchdown and New York rolled to a 24-3 win over the Patriots.