Robert Saleh, NY Jets, Head Coach, Stairs, HC
Robert Saleh, New York Jets, Getty Images

Saleh has a ritual that he has maintained on gameday since his first coaching job

Before the New York Jets‘ 1 p.m. tilt against the Cleveland Browns, head coach Robert Saleh took to the stadium seats.

No, not as a spectator. Saleh doesn’t just sit and watch the empty stadium.

Rather, he runs up and down the stairs, all the way around the lower level.

Saleh has been getting in his pregame workout throughout his entire coaching career, dating back to his first job as a tight ends assistant at Michigan State.

“I was looking for something to do pregame when I was still young and in a lot better shape,” said Saleh. “I was trying to get a workout in, and there’s no workout equipment and I wanted something difficult. So, I started running stadiums in college, and I just started doing it in the NFL when I got here. So, it’s been over 20 years now.”

However, Saleh says that it’s easier than running after his kids. He and his wife, Sanaa, have seven children: five boys and two girls.

Certainly, the Browns will pose a stiffer challenge to Saleh mentally than running around their stands does physically. Cleveland comes in with an aggressive run-blocking scheme and a ferocious pass rush, headlined by former No. 1 overall pick Myles Garrett, who has feasted on the Jets in his career.

Still, Saleh’s defense showed guts in Week 1 against Lamar Jackson, limiting the Ravens to 63 rushing yards on 21 carries. However, Cleveland’s offensive line is superior to Baltimore’s injury-plagued one, led by guards Wyatt Teller and Joel Bitonio.

It remains to be seen whether Saleh’s crew can hold up against the feisty Browns. However, let no Jets player say that their head coach works them without working himself.

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Rivka Boord has followed the Jets since the age of five. She is known locally for her in-depth knowledge of football. She hopes to empower young women to follow their dreams and join the sports conversation. Boord's background in analytics infuses her articles with unique insights into the state of the Jets' franchise and the NFL as a whole.
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Barry Bryant
1 year ago

So to continue the conversation. Okay, they won, I was as jubilant as anyone. But the first series for each team encapsulated my frustration. We got 3rd and 1 and tried to throw a 16-yard sideline pass. Maybe our guy was in bounds and maybe he wasn’t, but wouldn’t we be better off with a higher percentage 5-yard throw? They, on the other hand, strung together a series of short passes including two screens, high percentage throws, and moved the ball effortlessly steadily down the field
. No tight windows to throw into, no acrobatic catches required. They made it look easy. What we did yesterday was wonderful but it isn’t sustainable. The sustainable offense in the modern NFL is built on the seven-yard pass combined with screens and throwing to runners out of the backfield. of course, to do that, you must have a tight end who can catch the ball. That seems to be a problem for us. Our offense was better but still not good enough.

mlesko73
1 year ago
Reply to  Barry Bryant

Barry
On one of these boards I stated last week that to offset an aggressive pass rush like Garrett/Clowney we need to use regular screens, quick (“jet”) screens and counters. We did none of those.
Not being able to run a classic screen has been a problem for us for years…since Curtis Martin.

Great win, one for the ages, but lots to improve.

mlesko73
1 year ago
Reply to  Rivka Boord

Agreed, two sacks against those guys is a win (though I think Clowney is on the downside of his career).
The overall play calling was much better.
Maybe as the Oline gels it will be able to execute a classic screen, which w/ the shiftiness of our backs should be a killer play in our arsenal.