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Rich Cimini, ESPN Staff Writer
The speculation started in June, when New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers was fined by coach Robert Saleh for missing a mandatory minicamp. Since then, his relationship with Saleh has been under a microscope.
On Tuesday, Rodgers rebutted the perception that he and Saleh aren’t getting along.
“Rob and I have a great relationship; we have since day one when I got here,” Rodgers said during his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show.” “We have text message conversations, threads that we’re in, conversations about a number of different topics outside of football. We have a good friendship.”
The spotlight has focused on them over the past two weeks. First, there was the infamous non-hug during the Sept. 19 game against the New England Patriots: When Saleh attempted a celebratory embrace after a touchdown, Rodgers nudged him away. The moment went viral.
Then, after the Jets’ 10-9 loss Sunday to the Denver Broncos, Saleh indicated they might have to examine the effectiveness of Rodgers’ sophisticated cadence. The Jets committed five false-start penalties in the game. The next day, Saleh backtracked, insisting they have no plans to mess with Rodgers’ cadence.
Rodgers made light of the non-hug. As for his overall relationship with Saleh, the four-time MVP said not to believe what’s being said.
“There’s always going to be messaging and narratives out there, and you have two choices,” he said. “You can ride the wave — really, a roller coaster — or you can say, “F— it, I don’t care.’ And I’m the latter. I don’t get into what the conversation is going on outside the building around myself.
“The relationships that I have — the most important ones — are looking a guy in the eye, in the locker room or in a meeting room, and knowing he’s got your back and you got his back.”
Rodgers reiterated that his cadence, designed to draw defenses offsides, isn’t an issue. He said it’s on the players — not the coaches — to make it work.
“In order for it to be a weapon, we got to stay onsides,” he said. “So I think in those situations, and I don’t know why Robert would get any — or even [offensive coordinator Nathaniel] Hackett — I mean, nobody deserves any crap for that except for the players.”
Rodgers also said he’s a “little banged up” after being sacked five times by Denver, noting his left knee is “a little swollen.” He’s expected to play when the Jets (2-2) face the Minnesota Vikings (4-0) on Sunday in London.
Another issue on the Jets is Garrett Wilson‘s slow start. The star wideout has only 20 receptions for 191 yards and one touchdown. Wilson expressed some frustration Tuesday, saying he’s been used differently than in past years.
He also addressed the offense as a unit.
“I don’t think we do a lot of different stuff, to be honest,” he said during his weekly spot on the “Bart & Hahn” show on ESPN New York radio. “I watch football on Sundays, and I see a lot of teams mix it up and stuff like that. I don’t think we do that. I think we know our identity. It’s just about going out and executing it or figuring out if it’s going to work. I don’t think we’re trying a lot of different things.
“I know, personally, my route tree hasn’t been what it has been the last two years as far as the stuff I’ve been running. It’s just about figuring out if it’s the right identity and whether it’s going to win games.”
Wilson is drawing extra coverage from opponents. He said he appreciates the respect, adding: “But I feel like we have to make it a little harder on teams. At the end of the day, they try to take me out of the game and we let them. That’s all right. … I feel like I can help. We just have to find a way — I have to find a way to get involved and do things to get the ball in my hands in space and take shots down the field. Do things that I do well.”