Aaron Rodgers has built his career on driving himself and his teammates to championship dominance through dogged intensity, but it was a different kind of drive that caught NFL fans’ eyes Thursday night.
As his New York Jets laid the foundation for a 24-3 victory over the New England Patriots, Rodgers returned to the sideline after the Jets’ second touchdown and appeared to shove coach Robert Saleh with both hands as he tried to hug Rodgers.
The exchange sparked speculation about Rodgers’ reaction, but the coach and star quarterback were all smiles and downplayed the interaction after the game.
“I didn’t know he was going for the hug, he also likes to do the chest bump with both hands,” Rodgers said. “He talks a lot about 2-point leads, so I just gave him a bump and said, ‘2-point lead.’ And that’s what happened.”
Saleh also laughed when he talked about the moment and confirmed after the game that the interaction was only about the Jets’ 14-0 lead at the time and not about any frustrations.
This interaction between Aaron Rodgers and Robert Saleh…👀
🎥 @NFLonPrime pic.twitter.com/7ODUpvCt5d
— The Athlete (@TheAthletic) 20 September 2024
The end result showed that Rodgers had no reason to be frustrated, as the 40-year-old managed 281 yards and two touchdowns in a game without a turnover.
“One of the things we talked about was giving the defense a two-point lead,” Saleh told reporters. “And it was a two-point lead, so I guess he just wanted to see something on defense. He just reminded me that we have a two-point lead.”
In an otherwise dull Thursday Night Football game, the second-quarter shove was the most discussed topic. But for Jets fans worried that Rodgers’ insubordination would mar their 2-1 start to the season, the quarterback and coach’s shared postgame laughter should keep the optimism alive in East Rutherford, where Jets fans chanted Rodgers’ name for his outstanding performance in the third quarter.
“It was a very special evening. All these songs mean a lot,” he said afterwards.
Required reading
(Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images)
