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There is so much negativity around the Jets from outside the building right now.
That is if you pay attention to TV sports debate shows, podcasters and bloggers.
Dianna Russini, formerly of ESPN, and now with the Athletic, had two blockbusters on one podcast.
One that the Jets were interested in hiring Arthur Smith as an offensive consultant and the second one was that Aaron Rodgers wasn’t thrilled with how Robert Saleh handled the QB’s absence from minicamp with the media, calling it “unexcused.”
What often happens now in the news cycle is when an insider presents scoops like this, many TV sports debate shows, along with NFL podcasters and bloggers jump on it.
It’s like the insiders are their assignment editors.
What is true or not true doesn’t matter, they shoot first, and ask questions later.
They trust that the insider, because the person has a big name in the business, is on target, and they roll with it.
Like ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky saying Davante Adams to the Jets is a “done deal” when it’s nowhere near a “done deal.”
“This is baseless, unfounded speculation and Davante is expected to be with the Raiders as there has been absolutely no trade talk – period,” Adams agents to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
But those two scoops from Russini, created a lot of negativity around the Jets this week, once again making people think they were trying to replace Hackett and that Rogers/Saleh relationship is a little damaged.
For about the one-millionth time, what the Jets were looking to do early in the off-season, was add another set of eyes to the offensive meeting room, like they wanted to have with the late Greg Knapp, and had with Matt Cavanaugh.
Not to replace Hackett, but to have another sounding board in the game-plan room.
Do you think they would replace Hackett as the play-caller when their star QB, Rodgers, wants Hackett calling plays?
How would that have made any sense, to piss off Rodgers like that?
And also, as we have pointed out ad infinitum, Rodgers changes so many plays at the line, after looking at the defensive formation, does it matter that much who calls the initial play? Rodgers is essentially the co-offensive coordinator.
As for the Saleh-Rodgers relationship, it’s fine.
Maybe I’m the only one to defend Saleh on this, but IMO, I think he had to call Rodgers’ absence “unexcused” and subject to a fine, because defensive end Haason Reddick, also wasn’t there, and you can’t have double standards. What is he going to say, Rodgers was excused and will not be fined, but Reddick is “unexcused” and will be fined? You can’t run a team that way. The rules are the rules.
And, for the sake of the culture, Rodgers should embrace that, like Tom Brady used to embrace getting criticized in front of the team for bad plays by Bill Belichick in New England.
Rodgers and Saleh are fine.
And even if Rodgers was a little ticked at Saleh (or whoever was involved in the decision to call the absence “unexcused” and subject to fines – Saleh didn’t do that on an island), what is the QB going to do, not try to play great.
Rodgers is a little bit in legacy mode right now – he wants to play great and lead the Jets to the promised land to end his career with a bang, and prove the Green Bay Packers wrong for doubting him and trading him.
He’s not going to let a little disagreement over wording impact his play this year. How would that benefit him?
So things at 1 Jets Drive aren’t bad right now.
Just turn off the sports debate shows and ignore the basement bloggers.
July 19, 2024
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