The owner of the New York Jets wasted no time pulling the trigger and firing his head coach.
According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, Woody Johnson’s ultimate decision to fire Robert Saleh was due to the urgency of the 2024 season.
“Jets owner Woody Johnson’s decision to fire Robert Saleh might seem surprising. But Johnson views this as a team ready to compete now and wanted to make a move to get things on the right track before it was too late, per source.”
Jets owner Woody Johnson’s decision to fire Robert Saleh might seem surprising. But Johnson views this as a team ready to compete now and wanted to make a move to get things on the right track before it was too late, per source.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) October 8, 2024
Johnson later made the firing official with a statement on the team’s social media page.
“This morning, I informed Robert Saleh that he will no longer serve as the Head Coach of the New York Jets. I thanked him for his hard work these past three-and-a-half years and wished him and his family well moving forward. This was not an easy decision, but we are not where we should be given our expectations, and I believe now is the best time for us to move in a different direction.”
The owner also said he believes Jeff Ulbrich can “get the most out of our talented team” for the remainder of the season.
— New York Jets (@nyjets) October 8, 2024
Additionally, CBS’s Jonathan Jones said that Saleh had lost players in the locker room this season.
“Things were not good between Robert Saleh and the players of the New York Jets. That had been seen with players on the sideline and during players with postgame press conferences. They said there were no issues, but this came up in my reporting this past week.”
He added that people were telling Davante Adams that “things were not good” between Saleh and the players in New York.
"Things were not good between Robert Saleh and the players with the New York Jets."
– what our @jjones9 had been hearing over the past week or so pic.twitter.com/WvBSqcEsKi
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) October 8, 2024
It is one of the most shocking moves the Jets have made in recent memory. However, it is warranted.
Saleh was not a good head coach during his tenure in New York. His .351 win percentage as Jets head coach ranked 183rd out of 201 coaches in NFL history with at least 50 games coached. He struggled to put together a consistent product on the field and became increasingly lifeless as a coach as the years progressed. With more of the same occurring in 2024, the Jets decided that enough was enough.
Will the Jets make any other warranted moves, such as demoting Nathaniel Hackett or firing Keith Carter? That remains to be seen. But from their move today, the Jets are evidently not content with their current season results and want to turn it around fast.
