Aaron Rodgers and New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh were involved in a tense sideline incident on Thursday night.

The Jets swept aside the Patriots 24-3, and were up by eleven at the interval.

Rodgers looked back to his best in a big win over the Patriots on MNFGetty

However, the first half was overshadowed by Rodgers‘ awkward encounter with Salah after running back Breece Hall scored a one-yard touchdown run to give Gang Green a 14-0 lead.

When leaving the field to make way for the extra point, Saleh looked like he tried to give Rodgers a hug near the sideline.

But Rodgers seemed to be in no mood for an embrace, and instead of reciprocating the gesture, held his arms out and gave Saleh a gentle shove in the chest.

He appeared to mouth something at Salah before walking off in another direction and giving him a mean stare.

Some suggested the four-time MVP was annoyed by a play call and might have told Saleh: “Don’t call that”.

“I think it’s a veteran QB holding his HC accountable by saying, this ain’t time to celebrate yet,” one person wrote on X.

“Rodgers telling Saleh it’s too early to celebrate?? If so, I love him even more,” a second added.

The heated incident quickly went viral on social media but Rodgers was quick to downplay it in his post-game presser.

“He’s not a big hugger usually, so I didn’t know he was going for the hug,” Rodgers said while smiling.

“He likes to do the two-hand chest push as well. He talks a lot about two-score leads. So I kind of gave him a push and said, ‘Two-score lead.’”

Saleh tried to hug Rodgers after the Jets went two scores up but the QB wasn’t having itAP

Rodgers gently shoved Saleh in the chest but both laughed about it after the gameAP

Saleh also laughed it off, revealing that before the game they had discussed the importance of giving the defense a two-score lead.

“Part of the things that we’ve been talking about is giving the defense a two-score lead,” the head coach said. “It was a two-score lead; he just wanted to see something on defense.”

Saleh was obviously delighted when that happened and wanted to celebrate with his franchise quarterback. Rodgers, however, was clearly in no mood for a hug in the heat of battle.

Rodgers was making his first home start of the season after suffering a season-ending Achilles injury four snaps into last season’s Week 1 game with the Buffalo Bills.

The signal-caller looked tentative in his first two games of this season — a loss to the San Francisco 49ers and a win against the Tennessee Titans — and many questioned whether the surgery he had to repair his torn Achilles tendon had compromised his mobility.

But against the Patriots, the 40-year-old looked like his old self under center, throwing for 281 yards and two touchdowns on 27-of-35 passing.

Rodgers moved well in the pocket all night long, and was to able to find key playmakers Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard and Breece Hall with regularity throughout the game.

He also became the fourth quarterback (Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Brett Favre) in NFL history to complete 75% of his passes in a game while throwing for at least 250 yards at the age of 40 or older.

“The cool thing was he showed the mobility that we saw in training camp,” Saleh said. “He may not be what he used to be with his legs, but his arm is still 30 and his mind is still operating at a high level.”

It’s early days for the 2-1 Jets, but after a disappointing and injury-riddled 2023 campaign, and a Week 1 loss to the Niners, they’re starting to find their groove.

Next up for Rodgers and Saleh are the Denver Broncos on September 29.

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