NEW YORK — With all the rain in the forecast, Jets head coach Robert Saleh decided to make an executive decision and hold out his star quarterback.

Instead of being on the field for individual and team drills, Aaron Rodgers watched from the sideline on Thursday.

“Woke up this morning, saw the weather, he’s taken every rep in practice, so I felt like it was just unnecessary,” Saleh said. “Heightened environment, unfamiliar foes in terms of taking care of one another.

“I just didn’t want to expose him to it. If it was a game, if it was a practice, if it was clean outside, he would’ve practiced today. Call it overprotection, but it was just the decision I made.”

With fans in attendance, heavy rain fell throughout the two-hour practice session. With Rodgers out, backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor worked with the first-team offense while the four-time NFL MVP watched wearing a hat and a hoodie.

“He pushed back, he wanted to go,” Saleh said about Rodgers. “But in the grand scheme of things we’re trying to think forward thinking with regards to Week 1, and we’ve got a long way for that. We’ll have other opportunities coming up with Carolina and the Giants.”

Rodgers won’t play in the preseason opener against the Commanders on Saturday either. Last week, Saleh said Rodgers wouldn’t participate in the first or second preseason game (vs. the Panthers). However, the two had “preliminary discussions” about his participation during the preseason, but nothing has been finalized.

Saleh has left the door open for Rodgers to play in the preseason finale against the Giants on Aug. 24.

“You guys know me, the third game is usually when we like to play our guys and depending on how today went, how Saturday goes, and then next week’s work with the Panthers, and the following week with the Giants,” Saleh said, “I’ll make that decision.”

©2024 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.