New York Jets head coach Robert Salah is defending his decision to play veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers during the preseason, the final preseason tilt for the Jets, despite the obvious risks of injury.
“You can’t coach scared, you can’t play scared,” Saleh said Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini.
While the decision to play Rodgers, 39, during a preseason game caused an outcry on a number of sports talk podcasts, that won’t change as Salah has confirmed that Rodgers will start again on Saturday against the New York Giants.
“You see some of the great ones out there,” Saleh said. “Kansas City is playing their guys, Buffalo is playing their guys. It’s not uncommon. You can always play the hindsight game, the fearful game, but what’s in the best interest of our team is going out and playing some football together and preparing ourselves the best way we can for Sept. 11.”
“We’ll see how it goes,” Saleh said. “I don’t want to just throw him out there for a series and get him out. I’d like to see those guys go through transition, get to the sideline, have some adjustments, get back to the field, play with those adjustments. You’d like to see that transition happen a few times.”
The risk has been exasperated given how poorly the Jets offensive line has looked thus far. However, Saleh sees playing Rodgers, who joined the team during this offseason after spending his entire career with the Green Bay Packers, as important.
“For us as an organization, he’s new,” Saleh added. “I know he’s been in the long a very long time, but [I] just didn’t want Sept. 11 to be the first time he stepped into MetLife Stadium. The Giants-Jets game, whether it’s preseason or regular season, it’s going to be a good turnout.
“There’s going to be a lot of anticipation and excitement in the building. I just didn’t want the first time that he goes out with his new team, new colors, new teammates, new stadium — I didn’t want it to be the first time on Sept. 11.”
