Whelp, that didn’t last. The New York Jets have officially parted ways with head coach Robert Saleh. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the decision was communicated to Saleh at approximately 10 a.m. ET. Team owner Woody Johnson soon issued a statement confirming the firing and announced that defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich would serve as the interim head coach moving forward.
Saleh’s rocky tenure with the Jets, which began in 2021, was marked by challenges, and the team has started this season 2-3. Despite high expectations, Saleh was unable to deliver a winning season during his time as head coach.
Here’s the statement from Woody Johnson:
In fairness, Saleh had garnered significant attention when he was hired, following his successful four-year stint as the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers. He came into the Jets organization with a clean slate but faced a significant challenge early on: the team had no established quarterback but held the No. 2 overall pick in the upcoming draft. The Jets selected Zach Wilson, who ultimately did not meet expectations and became a notable disappointment for the franchise. Although it’s unclear how much input Saleh had in that draft decision, he was left to navigate the consequences.
Get this, Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer reported that Saleh was caught off guard by his dismissal. Interesting. Team owner Woody Johnson later explained to reporters that the team’s aspirations were high, and Saleh failed to meet those expectations. Makes sense but surprise firings, if it was in fact that, always sting.
What’s more in the weeks leading up to his dismissal, there were reports of internal struggles. CBS’ Jonathan Jones reported that Saleh had been considering firing offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, a coach favored by quarterback Aaron Rodgers. However, SNY TV’s Connor Hughes suggested that Saleh was only looking to demote Hackett, not dismiss him outright.
When you think about it, Saleh’s fortunes seemed to be on the upswing when the Jets traded for Aaron Rodgers before the 2023 season. Despite being 39 years old, Rodgers still had the ability to elevate the team, and Saleh finally had a top-tier quarterback to work with. However, Rodgers’ season ended abruptly when he tore his Achilles just four plays into the first game, forcing Saleh to revert to Wilson as the starter. After three years of waiting to prove himself with a capable quarterback, Saleh was only given five games with Rodgers before his tenure was cut short.
Looking back, Saleh’s time with the Jets spanned only 56 games, finishing with a 20-36 record. Reflecting on his time with the team, one can’t help but wonder how different his trajectory might have been if he had more stability at quarterback. Had he started with even a league-average quarterback instead of Wilson, would the Jets be in a different position today? That question remains unanswered, but it’s clear that the Jets’ organization had reached its limit with Saleh.
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