What does Robert Saleh’s firing mean for Aaron Rodgers, Jets’ offense? Here’s what team leadership said

Woody Johnson could have said it.

Jeff Ulbrich could have said it.

But when the New York Jets team owner and interim head coach were each asked Tuesday afternoon about Nathaniel Hackett, neither would confirm that the offensive coordinator and play-caller is safe hours after the team fired head coach Robert Saleh.

“We’re going to make changes wherever changes are due,” Johnson said. “We know where we’re weak and where we’re strong. And so do you.”

The Jets’ defense ranks fifth in the league in points allowed and second in yards allowed. Its offense ranks 25th in scoring and 27th in yardage — despite four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers quarterbacking the unit.

This is the third straight year Hackett’s offensive units have struggled. As Denver Broncos head coach in 2022, Hackett’s offense ranked dead last in scoring and 21st in yardage. Last year with the Jets, Hackett’s offense posted the second-worst yardage and fourth-worst scoring attack.

So while Ulbrich said he had “tremendous respect” for “every single guy” on the offense staff, his decision not to confirm Hackett will continue to call plays throughout the season was notable.

“In my opinion, these guys are gonna be here on Monday Night Football for us,” Ulbrich said of the Jets’ looming prime-time game against the Buffalo Bills. “And they’re gonna do an amazing job. Saying that, I mean, this has been four hours fresh for me to take this role on. Everything will be assessed: the process, the responsibilities, etc. But I do not foresee any changes in the staff.”

Ulbrich was asked whether staff roles could change even if another staff release was not expected. In other words: Might he move play-calling responsibilities to a coach like passing game coordinator Todd Downing, the Raiders’ and Titans’ former offensive coordinator?

“Yeah, we’re gonna take a deep dive on that in the next 36 hours and look at every possibility, but I do not see changes in necessarily titles, in positions,” Ulbrich said. “As far as responsibilities and the process itself, we’re gonna take a hard look at that.”

How Jets found themselves with job security questions

Johnson and Ulbrich held calls with reporters after Johnson announced Tuesday morning that he had fired Saleh five games into his fourth season as Jets head coach.

The Jets were not 0-5, as Dan Quinn and Jay Gruden were when the Atlanta Falcons and Washington (not yet) Commanders fired them five games in 2020 and 2019, respectively.

They were also not 1-4, as Matt Rhule was when the Carolina Panthers fired him in 2022.

The Jets are 2-3. But Johnson believes his team is far more capable than its losing record reflects. So the former U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom made a change between his team’s game in London and its prime-time home game Monday.

“This is one of the most talented teams that has ever been assembled by the New York Jets,” Johnson said. “I wanted to give the team the best opportunity to win this season. I feel like we had to go in a different direction.”

The Jets looked shaky in a 32-19 Week 1 loss against the San Francisco 49ers, but that could be excused as facing the defending NFC champions. A 10-9 loss to the Denver Broncos and Bo Nix, the sixth quarterback drafted this year, was harder to justify in light of the ransom the Jets paid to acquire Rodgers before 2023, a season he ultimately missed due to an Achilles tear.

Then came the London game.

Yes, Rodgers was facing one the league’s best defenses in the Brian Flores-coordinated Minnesota Vikings. Still, three interceptions including a pick 6 from Rodgers didn’t cut it. The quarterback found top receiver Garrett Wilson for 101 yards and a touchdown but connected on only 13 of 22 targets to him. All 13 were under 10 air yards, per Next Gen Stats.

A running game with talented backs in Breece Hall and rookie Braelon Allen managed just 36 yards.

Hackett is essentially Rodgers’ hand-picked coordinator after the two worked together in Green Bay. And the Jets have largely sold out to give Rodgers the infrastructure he wants in what appears to be a small (and getting smaller by the day) window to win in the postseason and justify their trade.

Ulbrich was asked whether Rodgers would have input into his play-caller.

“Obviously, he has a lot of insight regarding this offensive system and he’s been a part of it when it’s been operating at the highest level,” Ulbrich said. “I think Aaron is going to be a part of a lot of conversations.”

What’s Aaron Rodgers’ role in a changing tide?

Was Rodgers a part of the conversation to fire Saleh?

That question is convoluted.

Rodgers and Saleh’s relationship entered the public spotlight multiple times.

There was Rodgers’ trip to Egypt during mandatory minicamp in June, when Saleh publicly said the quarterback was facing an unexcused absence.

On Thursday Night Football against the Patriots, a sideline clip of Saleh trying to hug Rodgers went viral after Rodgers shoved his coach away. The two downplayed the interaction.

The following week, Saleh questioned whether Rodgers’ cadence worked for the Jets against the Denver Broncos. Rodgers then quipped at the podium that the franchise should hold players more accountable rather than change their process.

Johnson said he spoke to Rodgers on Monday night before firing Saleh on Tuesday morning.

“I did talk to him the night before, but we didn’t discuss this specifically at all,” Johnson said. “We were basically talking about the previous game, and his breaking 60,000 yards and accomplishing that, and sorry he got hit so many times, and how was he feeling.

“In terms of whether I was going to do it or not, no we didn’t discuss that.”

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Ulbrich said it was too soon to determine whether he would continue his role as defensive play-caller while managing gameday operations as head coach, but “everything’s on the table.”

Ulbrich echoed Johnson’s sentiment that the team had the necessary ingredients to chase its postseason goals. The interim head coach and Rodgers spoke about the importance of introducing some “element of change” into the post-Saleh era.

Could that be more downfield passing for Rodgers or a different degree of freedom at the line of scrimmage? It’s too soon to say. But the Jets want to see change — and they want to see it now.

Their 3-2 division rivals will visit Monday night whether or not they’re ready.

“I think one of the reasons that I decided to make a coaching change at the highest level is exactly that: We need to find ways to win,” Johnson said. “We’re not going to find those ways by doing the same thing over and over and over.”