New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh has confirmed a poorly kept secret regarding his quarterback situation following the hiring of Nathaniel Hackett as the team’s new offensive coordinator.
“The quarterback position obviously with all the different interviews was the number one concern,” Saleh told reporters on Thursday about choosing Hackett, as shared by Reice Shipley of The Comeback. “It was simple, we are committed to finding a veteran. We didn’t get into names. I doubt that he has even studied those guys yet which he is going to start next week. We didn’t get into specifics about names, but it was talked about that we do plan on bringing in a veteran quarterback.”
Fans and analysts, alike, likely won’t buy Saleh’s “we didn’t get into specifics about names” line for one Hall of Fame reason.
The Jets were being heavily linked with Green Bay Packers star Aaron Rodgers even before Thursday’s development. Rodgers also made it known during a Tuesday appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” that he already has a working knowledge about at least portions of the current New York offense.
Whispers about a Rodgers-Jets partnership are bound to become yells because the four-time NFL Most Valuable Player had Hackett as his offensive coordinator with the Packers from 2019 through the 2021 campaign.
Rodgers earned two of his MVP trophies during Hackett’s final seasons with Green Bay before Hackett became Denver Broncos head coach last January.
It was widely assumed at that time the Broncos hired Hackett largely to lure Rodgers to Denver, but Rodgers instead signed an extension with the Packers two months later.
Per Ryan Chichester of Audacy, Saleh suggested on Thursday that the hiring of Hackett isn’t directly related to Rodgers or any one quarterback who would start ahead of and ideally mentor second-year pro Zach Wilson following Wilson’s disastrous 2022 season.
“Everyone’s got a connection with everybody in this league,” Saleh said.
That’s true, but it doesn’t erase the fact that the Jets’ newest assistant coach has a connection with an all-time great who may be looking to join a team that’s seemingly a signal-caller away from competing for more than just a playoff berth.
