The New York Jets are 2-3 and desperate to salvage their Super Bowl aspirations. Going into the season, the expectation was that the return of Aaron Rodgers, along with several free agent additions on offense, would be enough to put the Jets over the top and into contention.
Obviously, that has not been the case. After their loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday in London, Jets owner Woody Johnson made the decision to fire head coach Robert Saleh. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will serve as the interim head coach.
The Firing of New York Jets Head Coach Robert Saleh Caused Quite a Stir
The news that Saleh had been fired was not what one might call an absolute shock. If anything, the fact that he was fired so early in the season was the most surprising part of the situation. New York went just 20-36 during his tenure, never once achieving a winning season.
When the news first broke, many fans assumed it was Rodgers who was the driving force behind the decision. Saleh had planned to demote and eventually fire offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, who is one of Rodgers’ favorite coaches.
However, Rodgers and Johnson both say that the star quarterback knew nothing of the decision and was only briefed after Saleh had been removed from the building.
That was the other part of the story that caused a stir: Saleh being escorted from the Jets’ facility by team security. Many fans found this to be a questionable practice by Johnson and the Jets, some accusing the team of stereotyping and racism.
Former New York Jets Head Coach Robert Saleh Released a Statement on Wednesday Morning
While he was not allowed to address his players or coaches after being fired, Saleh did release the following statement on Wednesday morning, one day after being let go:
“To the Jets Organization, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with so many incredible people. I will always be appreciative of the love and support from everyone at 1 Jets Drive.
“To all of the players, I truly love and appreciate every single one of you. The character of the men in the locker room made coaching you guys the ultimate privilege. Through all the ups and downs, each and every one of you showed up everyday and attacked every moment.
‘To my fellow coaches and staff, it has been an honor to work with all of you. Every one of you were “all in” and made sacrifices for one another that will never be forgotten. I wish you all the very best of luck for the remainder of the season.
“To the most passionate fan base in the NFL, thank you for embracing my family. It has been a pleasure calling New York our home and we will forever appreciate all of the memories that were created here.
“With Love and Regard,
“All Gas No Brake!!!”
New York Jets and NFL Fans All Are Saying the Same Thing About Robert Saleh’s Statement
A humble and grateful statement from a humble and grateful person. It is well-known around the NFL and among fans that Saleh is a genuinely good person, which was a common theme in fans’ reactions to his statement:
A genuinely good dude and certainly one of the best available defensive coordinators this offseason
It just didn’t work out as a HC https://t.co/ylP0e8uOGu
— Connor Rogers (@ConnorJRogers) October 9, 2024
A good man. Business is business, but it’s always unfortunate.
Will be rooting for Saleh at his next job. Wouldn’t be surprised if he has a similar Todd Bowles-like resurgence in a few years. https://t.co/K66UZtNhXQ
— The Jet Press (@TheJetPress) October 9, 2024
Robert Saleh is a phenomenal person and will be a Defensive Coordinator in 5 minutes assuming he wants to be one this offseason. Wishing him all the best. https://t.co/XIJjoYHgVz
— Jake Asman (@JakeAsman) October 9, 2024
Wasn’t the best coach at all but he was did wrong and is a good guy. Gonna do what he does best and be a great DC somewhere https://t.co/5gpI5TdKlM
— Freezing Cold in Miami (@in_freezing) October 9, 2024
Great dude. Lousy coach. Elite DC. The head gig isn’t for everyone. https://t.co/vJW5Rn0uTu
— #DoomSayer (@MrBill11) October 9, 2024
As one can see, all of these reactions have three common themes:
- He is a great person
- He was a bad head coach
- He will be a defensive coordinator somewhere next season
Hopefully Saleh finds success wherever he coaches next.
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