What was that?
Tuesday will go down as one of the most frantic days in New York Jets history. Out of nowhere, it was announced that the team had decided to fire Robert Saleh, shocking the NFL world. The move was followed by a whirlwind of reports, many more inflammatory than accurate.
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Even as I write this article one day later, I struggle to fully understand what happened or the validity of the many reports that surfaced. Many Jets fans likely feel the same way. Let’s do our best to process what happened and why.
What happened?
The Jets stood at 2-3 following two consecutive losses that were similar in nature. In both games, the Jets played well enough defensively to give their struggling offense a chance to win in the closing moments, only for the offense (and special teams) to blow an opportunity to take the lead in the final minute.
The two-game skid capped off an opening five-game stretch that only be classified as disappointing. Outside of an impressive Week 3 blowout win over a 1-4 Patriots team, the Jets had one close win over the 1-3 Titans, two close losses, and a blowout loss to the 2-3 Niners.
New York came into the season with Super Bowl aspirations, a goal that was openly acknowledged by players and coaches. Five weeks in, they don’t even look like a playoff team. The defense has settled in after a slow start, but the offense remains one of the league’s worst for the third straight season.
With a talented roster led by an aging quarterback, Jets owner Woody Johnson decided he had seen enough.
After a regular Monday in which he delivered a routine press conference, Saleh was informed of the decision to part ways Tuesday morning.
Robert Saleh received a mulligan last year following Aaron Rodgers’ Achilles injury and a 7-10 record. After beginning the year 2-3, owner Woody Johnson had seen enough and decided to make the change now.
— Antwan V. Staley (@antwanstaley) October 8, 2024
The decision was a surprise. Johnson had never fired a coach during the season and it had been nearly five decades since it last occurred within the Jets organization.
While Saleh’s firing was a shock, his exit from the building created another controversy.
Mike Florio reported that Saleh was “escorted” out of the building by security, resulting in a frenzy on X. While this did happen, several Jets beat reporters refuted the details of Florio’s report, stating this was protocol following firing an employee and nothing noteworthy happened.
The Saleh/escorted-out-by-security story is a little off base. From what I gather, the head of security walked with him to his car, which is protocol. It's not like they had to forcibly remove him from the premises or anything of that nature. #Jets
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) October 8, 2024
Saleh reportedly did not get to address the players before leaving, which is disappointing. While players were becoming frustrated, Saleh was highly respected in the locker room.
Saleh was the only casualty of the Jets’ disappointing start. Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett has been the focus of much scrutiny of late, but his job appears safe for now.
Some reports claimed that Saleh was preparing to fire Hackett, but SNY’s Connor Hughes refuted those reports. However, Hughes did report that Saleh was preparing to take away play calling responsibilities from Hackett and give them to passing game coordinator Todd Downing.
SOURCES: Former #Jets HC Robert Saleh was never going to fire offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. That was not happening.
However he was going to demote his game day responsibilities this week. Saleh made decision to give play-calling to Todd Downing because of the… pic.twitter.com/nYJewU5KYv
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) October 8, 2024
Now it’s up to interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich to make the decisions. While he said the team will look at everything, it does not appear they will be making any changes before their Monday night game against the Buffalo Bills.
Jeff Ulbrich says he will look at everything regarding the staff in the next 24 hours. However, Ulbrich doesn't see any changes on the Jets staff or the titles, positions, and responsibilities before Monday's game against the Bills.
— Antwan V. Staley (@antwanstaley) October 8, 2024
Johnson informed general manager Joe Douglas of the decision but stated that he made the decision alone.
Johnson said he did consult with Joe Douglas but this was his decision
— Brian Costello (@BrianCoz) October 8, 2024
Unsurprisingly, there has been significant speculation regarding quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ involvement. On Wednesday, Rodgers squashed allegations about him having a role in Saleh’s firing, calling them “patently false.”
Rodgers did speak with Woody the night before, but Rodgers and Johnson both claim that their conversation had nothing to do with Saleh.
Johnson said he spoke to Aaron Rodgers last night but they did not talk about firing Saleh specifically. Said they discussed the game and Rodgers passing 60K passing yards. He did not discuss firing Saleh with him.
— Brian Costello (@BrianCoz) October 8, 2024
Following the decision to fire Saleh, many have asked… why?
One theory I just want to squash quickly is that it’s for wearing the Lebanese flag this past Sunday. Saleh is of Lebanese descent and has worn it before as it’s part of an NFL Heritage Program promoting players’ and coaches’ heritage.
Why was Robert Saleh fired?
So why did it happen? Simply put, the Jets have underperformed and Saleh is responsible for the team.
Under Robert Saleh, the Jets went 20-36. That already isn’t great, but the issue is how they lost. They frequently got blown out and rarely returned the favor.
New York had 19 losses by two-plus scores (9+ points) under Saleh, tied for the fourth-most in the NFL since 2021. At the same time, they only had 7 wins by two-plus scores, tied for the fourth-fewest.
The offense’s lack of scoring was not the only issue. Saleh’s teams were consistently unprepared and undisciplined on both sides of the ball. During Saleh’s tenure, they were outscored by 297 points in the first half, last in the NFL. Worse, they had 60 more penalties than their opponents, also last in the NFL.
When given extra time to prepare, the Jets would come out flat. In eight games following a Thursday game, Friday game, or bye week, the Jets went 2-6, only beating the Tommy DeVito-led Giants in overtime and the Bailey Zappe-led Patriots in the snow.
While Saleh isn’t responsible for the offense on game day, he installs the identity. And “racing to 20” (his infamous statement ahead of last year’s Raiders game) isn’t a winning mindset. The Jets’ offense has been rigid and predictable while it attempts to establish an identity. While the best coaches capitalize on their players’ strengths and exploit their opponent’s weaknesses, the Jets are known for their unchanging game plan.
Firing Saleh doesn’t fix the Jets’ issues, but it’s a start. As linebacker Quincy Williams said Sunday, “People get tired of hearing the same [thing] every week.” While Saleh was a well-liked, he had not shown the ability to change through three and a half seasons. Instead of waiting until it was too late, the Jets decided to make a change now.
But what do the players think? Some have speculated that firing Saleh could only add to the frustration in the Jets locker room.
So far, the only apparent negative response has come from linebacker Jamien Sherwood, who expressed displeasure with the move on X shortly after it was announced.
Tssss🤦🏾♂️🤬
— Nû9Y⚡️ (@JamienSherwood) October 8, 2024
While Saleh is well-liked in the locker room, so are Ulbrich and Rodgers. If the Jets start winning, nobody will complain.
It’s up to Ulbrich to usher in more changes. Things might not change at all, but changes are more likely now than they were before.
Ulbrich will make his debut in a big spot, as the Jets head into Week 6 with an opportunity to take the top spot in the AFC East if they can defeat the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football.
