Under the guidance of Robert Saleh, the Jets never had a winning season, and with the arrival of Aaron Rodgers, that was set to change. It didn’t, as the Jets went 2-3 to start the season, and Saleh was let go.

Tim Howard, the former USMNT and Everton goalkeeper, and now owner of MLS team Houston Dynamo, wrote a piece in the Daily Mail about the effects of Rodgers having a reported say in the firing of Saleh, given the confirmation that Woody Johnson spoke to his star quarterback before making the decision to fire Robert Saleh.

Tim Howard on New York Jets

Howard wrote in his editorial, “Right now, the Jets are built to win with Aaron Rodgers. Once results did not improve—and the owner decided someone had to go—it was only ever going to be Saleh. Anyone who thought otherwise is out of their mind.”

Howard went on to explain the dangers of letting star players make or have input in critical decisions that team executives need to take: “Rodgers has denied it (giving input in Saleh being fired), of course, but make no mistake: player power is real.

“It’s not something I experienced in club football because—at Manchester United and Everton—I worked under powerful managers in Sir Alex Ferguson and David Moyes… Star players like to be heard, and as an owner, you want to create a relationship where you listen to voices from inside the locker room. We see it in the NBA all the time: strong, world-class players have the ear of those in charge. And when a big call looms, the owners come calling.”

Howard finished by offering up his own experiences: “I was consulted at the tail end of Jurgen Klinsmann’s time with the US Men’s National Team. I was an experienced member of the group, and they wanted to know my view. So I offered my verdict, having played for three different national team managers. It was truthful, and it was damning.

“But it can also be dangerous listening to players. Sure, they see more than most, but their opinions are shaped by emotion and how situations impact them personally.

“During my career, if something wasn’t going right for me, I would be annoyed and upset. If someone offered me the chance to complain, I’d talk all day long. It might be one-sided. It certainly wouldn’t always be a clear reflection of the situation.”

The Everton legend, upon retiring from the game, has turned to being a pundit. In England, he writes a column in the Daily Mail where he usually shares his thoughts on soccer in the United States.

This time, Howard turned his attention to NFL star Tyreek Hill, calling the Miami Dolphins star “arrogant” over what, in his view, could have been an avoided incident with Miami-Dade Police.

Tim Howard on Tyreek Hill

In his column, Howard wrote: “Let’s be clear: this whole incident was brought on by Tyreek. If you break the law, if you do something dumb, have a little bit of respect and humility.

“If you screw up, if you drive recklessly without your seatbelt on, then – at a bare minimum – approach the officer with courtesy and roll your window down. If you don’t do that? If you resist? Problems happen.”

Howard also went on to call out the NFL and its people for standing by Hill, who, in his eyes, was in the wrong, while leaving Colin Kaepernick behind.

“The very people that blackballed Colin Kaepernick. He took a knee in protest against police brutality. We are hearing that same message after Hill was handcuffed. Apparently, it’s now okay to protect the players. But still not Colin Kaepernick.

“I support the fight to end police brutality against the African-American community. I like good cops and I hate bad cops…I like good cops, though. And the fact of the matter is: they are in a position of authority. Sure, they abuse that position at times. But I do respect good police and good law enforcement.”