Jets HC Robert Saleh will not play Aaron Rodgers in pre-season until the third game against New York Giants

Fearing another long-term injury, Jets head coach Robert Saleh decided to keep veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers out of the first two pre season games.

Jets HC Robert Saleh will not play Aaron Rodgers in pre-season until the third game against New York Giants

Robert Saleh said Aaron Rodgers will not play in the first two pre season games (Image via IMAGO)

Aaron Rodgers did not practice on Thursday, as shared by Jets reporter Connor Hughes on X (previously Twitter). Staff and his teammates saw the veteran quarterback strolling down the sidelines wearing his hoodie and track pants as he found out that he would not feature in the first two preseason games.

While Garrett Wilson cooked Washington’s Emmanuel Forbes in the training, Rodgers stood beside head coach Robert Saleh in the damp and rainy New York weather. Saleh later addressed the 40-year-old’s exclusion from practice and potentially from the first pre-season game.

He’s [Aaron Rodgers] taking every rep in practice, so I just felt it was unnecessary [to start him in the bad weather].
Robert Saleh revealed per Jets transcript

In Saleh’s words, ‘Heightened environment, unfamiliar foes’ deterred him from asking Rodgers to suit up for joint practice with the Commanders. He wants to protect the four-time NFL MVP who recently recovered from a torn ACL that kept him out the entire 2023 season.

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Rodgers wanted to practice and get a feel of the game, facing players from another team, but Saleh refused.

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Aaron Rodgers was surprised to hear his exclusion from pre-season games

Rodgers’ waiting for more snaps in Jets gear will continue because Saleh doesn’t want to risk another early exit. His coaching staff decided to protect the Super Bowl winner as long as they could to prevent a repeat of last season.

Jets Robert Saleh will not play Aaron Rodgers in pre-season until the third game against New York Giants
Aaron Rodgers (Image via IMAGO)
He wanted to go, but in the grand scheme of things, trying to keep forward thinking with regards to Week 1 and we got a long way for that. He’ll have other opportunities coming up with Carolina and the Giants.
Robert Saleh added

Rodgers apparently wasn’t aware of the decision, but the head coach’s word is always the final word, so he has no other choice but to respect it. That doesn’t mean Saleh will make him sit at home, watching the game from his TV. Instead, like in 2023, the 10-time Pro Bowler will throw in a few inputs here and there to their offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett during the game.

Every Jets fan wants Aaron Rodgers to make them experience that winning feeling once again. They have been waiting since 2010 to record a winning campaign and play post-season football.

However, more than the Jets fans, Saleh requires Rodgers to produce the goods because he is on the hot seat. Since taking over as the head coach in 2021, he recorded only 18 wins and lost 33 matches.

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