Todd Downing: We’re not sounding an alarm about Aaron Rodgers

Todd Downing met the media on Friday for the first time since he was bumped up to calling the Jets’ offensive plays this week and the passing game coordinator shown a skill for understatement when he opened his first answer by saying it has been a “unique week.”

Downing’s change in job responsibilities came after the Jets fired head coach Robert Saleh and installed defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich as their interim head coach. Downing is replacing offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, who remains on the staff.

Downing said that hasn’t been awkward and said he has “reverence” for the way Hackett has carried himself since the switch occurred. Downing also said that things have gone smoothly with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who is close to Hackett, because he’s “been in every meeting that Aaron’s been in from a position standpoint.” He did note that there will be some adjustment with communication as a result of the change, but that he’s confident Rodgers will improve his play in the coming weeks.

“Yeah, in a two-decade career he has very few blips on the radar, and I know that Aaron himself has said that the last couple of weeks aren’t up to his standard, but that does not necessarily sound an alarm,” Downing said, via a transcript from the team. “He knows how to prepare. He knows how to diagnose defenses. He knows how to run the show on offense, and that’s what we’re anticipating this week.”

Downing held the same role with the Titans in 2021 and 2022 and said he hopes he is “sharper” than he was in those years sharper. He’ll start getting his chance to show it against the Bills on Monday night.