Why Robert Saleh is OK with Aaron Rodgers’ criticism of Jets

Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers had a lot to say about the New York Jets and how they were acting on the sidelines.

Head coach Robert Saleh is more than OK with it, also. Especially from someone who is an extension of the coaches.

“He’s as much of a coach as he is a player, and he’s been around youth and he’s been around adversity, and he’s seen it all,” Saleh said on Wednesday via ABC News’ Rich Cimini. “So for him to recognize that and talk through it, I think he’s not wrong in that when you have frustration, it’s easy to look for answers when sometimes the most important answer is inward.”

Rodgers, who’s in Southern California recovering from his Achilles injury, went on The Pat McAfee Show to talk about the state of the Jets now in his absence.

“This is what teams have to go through. There’s adversity points in every season. This year it’s happening early, and people are coming for us, and there are some heated conversations on the sideline and different things,” Rodgers said on Tuesday.

“I think we need to hold our poise a little better, really just offensively,” he added. “We need to not have some of those things happening on the sideline, and to be a little better, and to be a little better competitors.”

Saleh said Rodgers was right.

“As it pertains to what he said, he’s not wrong,” Saleh added. “But at the same time, it’s just a bunch of young guys showing a little frustration, but they’ll be all right.”

The rest of the team mirrored what Saleh said, appreciating the leadership he provides, even on the other side of the country.

While Rodgers doesn’t believe the team would necessarily be undefeated with his presence, he does believe those sideline situations would not be taking place if he were still there.

[ABC News]