Jets' Aaron Rodgers -- relationship with Robert Saleh 'great' - ESPN
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