Jets' Robert Saleh explains playing Aaron Rodgers in preseason finale

New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh is moving forward with his plan to start quarterback Aaron Rodgers in this coming Saturday's preseason finale against the New York Giants. 

"You can't coach scared, you can't play scared," Saleh told reporters Tuesday, per Rich Cimini of ESPN. "You can slip out of your car and have something happen to you. Knock on wood, everyone will be fine."

The Jets paid a high price to land Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers in April, and the 39-year-old then tweaked his right calf during organized team activities later in the spring. More recently, Rodgers clutched his left calf during a practice last week. 

For a piece published Monday evening, Steve Serby of the New York Post argued that Rodgers, who last appeared in a preseason game with the Packers in the summer of 2018, shouldn't face an opposing defense until the Week 1 matchup versus the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 11. Saleh instead indicated the future Hall of Famer will participate in more than one series against the Giants this Saturday. 

"I don't want to just throw him out there for a series and get him out," Saleh added about Rodgers. "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."

Rodgers, of course, is no stranger to the system installed by Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, as the four-time NFL Most Valuable Player originally had Hackett as his OC with the Packers from 2019 through the 2021 season. Rodgers suffered a broken thumb on his throwing hand in Week 5 of the 2022 campaign and later injured his ribs in Week 12, but Saleh suggested Tuesday that the potential risk attached to playing his QB1 this weekend is worth the possible long-term reward. 

"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," Saleh said. 

Whether or not the coach will regret those words and his decision by Sunday morning shall be seen.