The New York Jets shocked the football world Tuesday, firing head coach Robert Saleh after Gang Green’s disappointing loss to the Minnesota Vikings in London. It was a well-known fact that Saleh, as well as general manager Joe Douglas, entered the season on the hot seat. However, making a move in-season, and this early no less, is unprecedented — even for Woody Johnson whose reputation as a meddling owner precedes him.
How did we get to the point of the Jets firing Robert Saleh?
After the disastrous Adam Gase Era, where he had defensive coordinator Gregg Williams as the “unofficial” head coach of the defense, the Jets looked to bring in a CEO type — a coach intimately involved with all parts of the game — when they hired Robert Saleh in January 2021.
Saleh was the hot, young coordinator at the time, but the cracks in his facade started to show quickly after the Jets parted ways with Saleh’s hand-picked offensive coordinator, Mike LaFleur. Replacing LaFleur was a long-time friend of Aaron Rodgers, Nathaniel Hackett, which was a presumed prerequisite for bringing the future Hall of Fame quarterback to New York.
Despite finishing 31st in total offense in 2023, Saleh and Hackett were given a reprieve considering their star quarterback was lost for the season just four plays into the season opener, and all-time draft bust Zach Wilson was forced back into the starting lineup. However, the message was clear — with a healthy Rodgers in tow, failure was no longer an option.
With questions lingering about Hackett’s offensive play calling, Saleh vowed in the preseason to be more heavily involved in the offensive game planning this season. However, despite the return of Rodgers and Saleh’s increased role, the Jets still rank just 27th in total offense this season. While there’s some cause to blame Nathaniel Hackett’s bland offensive philosophy for the offense’s struggles, the Jets ranking seventh in total penalties and fifth in penalty yards falls squarely on Saleh’s shoulders as the head coach is responsible for instilling a culture of discipline and accountability.
All said and done, the book closes on Saleh’s tenure with a disappointing 20-36 record, good for a putrid .357 winning percentage, as yet another Gang Green head coach fails to live up to expectations.
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Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich takes over as interim head coach
Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will take over as interim head coach after Woody Johnson’s unilateral decision to fire Saleh. Ulbrich, a Saleh disciple, has been a popular name to watch for 2025 head coach vacancies after coaching the Jets’ defense to elite levels the last few seasons. Now it’s possible that he could claim the Jets’ top coaching position permanently if the team realizes its potential over the the coming three-quarters of the season.
However, the big lingering question is exactly how this move fixes the Jets’ offense, the chief reason for Saleh’s dismissal, moving forward. Still in tow are the much-maligned Hackett and his underwhelming chief assistants passing game coordinator Todd Downing and running game coordinator Keith Carter.
Another question is exactly how much of the Jets’ defensive dominance over the last few seasons was due to Saleh or Ulbrich? While Saleh regularly credited Ulbrich, defense was his specialty for many years with the San Francisco 49ers.
Another question is how much the move will poison the locker room moving forward. Saleh, for his warts, seemed to be well-liked by the team and kept the group intact despite some difficult performances from Zach Wilson. As for the move to fire him, Woody Johnson’s lack of patience is famous, but he’s never made an in-season head coaching change before. Not for Todd Bowles who was a clear lame duck, not for Adam Gase who was a disaster from day one, never. Taking the leap to let Saleh go, especially so early in the season with so many new pieces jelling, particularly on the offensive side of the ball, is a daring move.
One has to wonder if factions will develop in the locker room between those loyal to Saleh, and those who are happy to see him gone. Lastly, what does this mean for Rodgers and his future with the Jets? One has to assume that the Jets wouldn’t make this move without at least some knowledge that Rodgers was on board, but if the season doesn’t turn around fast there’s a big question as to whether or not this year will be Rodgers’ last.
