In the hours since the New York Jets fired head coach Robert Saleh, rumors have run rampant about quarterback Aaron Rodgers' supposed loyalty to offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, and the role that Rodgers may or may not have played in Saleh's dismissal. The news broke just hours after New York's crushing London loss to the Minnesota Vikings, a defeat that sunk the team's record on the young 2024 season to 2-3.

In the meantime, defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has been named the organization's interim head coach while the team brass searches for a new person to lead their sidelines, and now, more light is being shed on Rodgers' reaction to potential changes that Ulbrich could make to the team's hierarchy.

“Aaron Rodgers implied that he would be fine if interim HC Jeff Ulbrich decides to change the offensive play-caller. He said he supports whatever decision Ulbrich makes,” reported Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team on X, formerly Twitter.

Meirov also added that “there has been talk that Todd Downing could replace Nathaniel Hackett as the primary play-caller.”

Downing is currently the passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Jets, while Hackett was brought in reportedly to appease Rodgers as the team's offensive coordinator.

A tumultuous time for the Jets

 New York Jets coach Robert Saleh reacts against the Minnesota Vikings in the first half at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

While Robert Saleh may not be Bill Belichick, there does seem to be an overwhelming sentiment that he was scapegoated for some deeper organizational issues brewing for New York as opposed to the real culprit for their struggles.

There's no denying Saleh's ability to scheme elite defenses, which has continued this year despite a rough start in Week One vs the San Francisco 49ers.

Furthermore, it's difficult to pin too much blame on Saleh for the Jets' offensive struggles a year ago considering the Motley crew of quarterbacks he was forced to rotate through in the wake of Rodgers' Achilles injury.

Fast forward a year, and the production that Rodgers is giving the Jets hasn't been a whole lot better than what they saw last year, and the team's offense has once again floundered as a result. Still, head coaches are almost always the first ones to fall on the sword when things don't go according to plan, which is unfortunately what happened to Saleh on Tuesday.

In any case, the Jets will next take the field against another struggling AFC hopeful, the Buffalo Bills, on Monday at 8:15 PM ET from the Meadowlands.