Aaron Rodgers, the quarterback for the New York Jets, expressed frustration over claims that he was responsible for head coach Robert Saleh’s dismissal.

“I’m not going to waste a single word on these ridiculous accusations. They annoy me because they’re obviously false. It’s interesting how much power people think I have when I really don’t,” Rodgers said. Last Tuesday, Woody Johnson, the owner of the New York Jets, fired Saleh after the team posted a record of two wins and three losses in five games.

Saleh leaves with a record of 20 wins and 36 losses. Rodgers has been pointed to as a key factor in the coach's departure. “I’d like to thank Robert. I’m grateful he brought me here. He cares about his players and trusted us. Robert is a fantastic person and a really good coach. He’s a family man, and the football business can be tough on families,” said the four-time league MVP.

Rumors of a strained relationship between Rodgers and Saleh gained traction during the preseason when the quarterback went on vacation to Egypt and missed the minicamp. The tension between them grew during the season, particularly in week 3 when the Jets beat the Patriots. After Rodgers threw his second touchdown pass, Saleh went over to hug him, but the quarterback brusquely rejected it.

Speculation peaked when it was revealed that hours before the announcement of Saleh’s firing, Rodgers received a call from the team owner, something the quarterback confirmed. “Woody Johnson called me Monday night, and we had a brief conversation. It was a genuine call, and he just asked how I was doing. We talked about the game and how disappointed he was with my performance. I told him I was going to play better and that we were going to fix this,” Rodgers acknowledged.

With Robert Saleh’s departure, Jeff Ulbrich, who was serving as the team’s defensive coordinator, will take over as the interim head coach for the week 6 matchup against the Buffalo Bills next Monday.