The New York Jets 2024 season continues to be eventful for all the wrong reasons. In a stunning move, the Jets have fired head coach Robert Saleh five games into his fourth season. The move comes after the team fell to 2-3 on the season after a disastrous game from Aaron Rodgers against the Vikings in London. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has taken over as interim head coach.
The Jets have fired HC Robert Saleh, per sources.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) October 8, 2024
Breaking: Jets Fire Head Coach Robert Saleh
When Robert Saleh arrived in New York in 2021, it was expected he’d usher in a new era after a chaos-filled tenure from Adam Gase. The former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator was one of the most popular coaching candidates on the market. Before taking the job, Saleh spent the 2020 season helping the 49ers build up a talented defense led by Nick Bosa, Richard Sherman, and DeForest Buckner. Saleh made history becoming the only Muslim head coach in NFL history.
While many were unfamiliar with him, Saleh slowly won the roster over. Working with Quinnen Williams, CJ Mosley, DJ Reed, and young players like Sauce Gardner, the Jets’ defense became a formidable unit. Under his guidance, he took the team into a top-10 defense within his first two seasons. Unfortunately, the offense continued to be a detriment. Both offensive coordinators under his tenure haven’t executed. First, Mike LaFleur was fired after failing to develop Zach Wilson. Following that Nathaniel Hackett and Aaron Rodgers have both been unable to live up to expectations.
This firing speaks volumes to the growing concerns for their playoff chances. The past two weeks were winnable games until Aaron Rodgers and the offense failed to deliver. The defense let up only two offensive touchdowns within the last 12 quarters. Firing a talented defensive-oriented head coach to appease the offense is a massive gamble. One Aaron Rodgers better win during his battle with Father Time.
Main Photo: [Chris Pedota] – USA Today Sports