Tyler Conklin: Aaron Rodgers 'probably hit (Robert Saleh's shot) harder than anyone'

Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers insists he didn't get former Jets coach Robert Saleh fired. But this isn't about what he did. He didn't do that.

Rodgers couldn't stop Saleh from getting fired. Apparently Rodgers didn't even try. When discussing the situation with Pat McAfee and AJ Hawk on Wednesday, he didn't seem particularly upset by the situation.

After the dismissal, Rodgers emphasized precisely the human aspect. But Rodgers said nothing during the interview that suggested he disagreed with the decision — or with the obvious fact that Rodgers had no input into it.

“I don't think anyone in this building, play-wise or anyone else, thought (Rodgers) had anything to do with it,” tight end Tyler Conklin said Wednesday, via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. “To be honest, I really believe that. I mean, Aaron probably took this harder than almost anyone.”

However, getting upset about the emotional aspect of development is different than getting upset about the football side.

So the argument is that Rodgers wasn't involved in the decision because he didn't know the decision was coming. Given his past (and well-documented in his own words) frustrations with the Packers' failure to seek or accept his input, wouldn't Rodgers expect at least some warning?

The circumstantial evidence supports a reasonable conclusion that Rodgers mobilized when he learned that offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett was about to be demoted. Even if that didn't happen, it seems plausible given the relationship between Rodgers and Hackett. Rodgers would probably be very unhappy if Hackett was castrated and/or released. Rodgers would probably try to prevent that. At the very least, Rodgers would like to know it's coming, if only to have a chance to weigh in on whether it should be.

If Rodgers truly didn't know that Saleh's firing was imminent, the failure to let Rodgers know and/or seek his input doesn't seem to bother him at all. Of all the things we know about Rodgers overall, the failure to notify him and/or seek his input seems to bother him.

The fact that he doesn't seem to mind means one of two things. First, he actually did Have input and his input Was is reflected in the decision. Second, the decision, made without his notice and without his input, happens to be consistent with what his input would have been.