The NFL coaching carousel is underway with a bang.
The Jets fired coach Robert Saleh on Tuesday morning, making a coaching change less than 48 hours after losing to the Vikings in London. Saleh was escorted out of the facility by security after he was informed of the decision, Pro Football Talk reported.
New York has experienced plenty of low moments under Woody Johnson's ownership, but the franchise has largely resisted midseason coaching changes. Johnson's move signals a change in that philosophy and underscores how critical it is that the Jets take advantage of their current window to win with Aaron Rodgers.
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Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich was named the team's interim coach for the remainder of the season.
Here's more to know about why the Jets fired Saleh on Tuesday.
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Why did the Jets fire Robert Saleh?
Saleh endured his share of quarterback turmoil during his tenure, but ahead of his fourth season, ownership made it clear results were expected.
Johnson stopped short of giving Saleh and GM Joe Douglas a playoff mandate in February but explained that the Jets "have to do a lot better than seven" wins.
"They've seen me about as mad as I can be," Johnson said of Saleh and Douglas when recapping a tumultuous 2023 season.
Johnson echoed that sentiment in a statement announcing the decision, telling fans, "We are not where we should be given our expectations, and I believe now is the best time to move us in a different direction."
— New York Jets (@nyjets) October 8, 2024
Johnson sees the coaching change as "a move to get things on the right track before it was too late," The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported, adding that Johnson sees the Jets as "ready to compete now."
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 told reporters Tuesday that the current team is the best he's had in his 25 years as owner of the Jets and said Ulbrich will add "a spark of positivity" to the locker room. He claimed Rodgers had no input in the decision.
The Jets are just 2-3 even with a healthy Rodgers, and mistakes continue to plague the team on both sides of the ball. Penalties have been a consistent problem for New York even in Saleh's fourth season, and the offense has started slow in most games this season.
While Saleh is a defensive-minded coach and the defense is playing well, he was responsible for hiring the offensive staff that has come under fire. Saleh was set to strip OC Nathaniel Hackett of play-calling duties before Tuesday's news, SNY reported, and was also "considering firing" Hackett before being fired himself, Jonathan Jones of CBS reported.
Questions about Saleh's relationship with Rodgers also circulated, particularly after the quarterback and his coach seemed to publicly disagree about how to reduce offensive penalties. On his weekly appearance on the Pat McAfee show, moved to Wednesday due to the firing, Rodgers said that he "resents any of those accusations because they're patently false."
Aaron Rodgers on the @PatMcAfeeShow show about whether he had any role in the firing of his former head coach Robert Saleh. “I resent any of those accusations because they’re patently false.”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 9, 2024
Despite back-to-back losses, many in the Jets facility saw the move as a surprise. "The decision of him getting fired was a surprise and it came directly from ownership," Bleacher Report's Jordan Schultz reported. "Defensive players in the building are shocked by it."
Saleh himself was "blindsided," according to Fox Sports' Jay Glazer.
The now-former Jets coach released a statement Wednesday thanking the Jets and their fans for his time in New York. "I will always be appreciative of the love and support from everyone at 1 Jets Drive," Saleh said.
Statement from Robert Saleh:
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 9, 2024
“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… pic.twitter.com/I4n9zYhKFd
Saleh was originally hired by the Jets in 2021 after serving as the 49ers' defensive coordinator for four years.
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Robert Saleh coaching record
| Season | W | L | Pct. |
| 2021 | 4 | 13 | .235 |
| 2022 | 7 | 10 | .412 |
| 2023 | 7 | 10 | .412 |
| 2024 | 2 | 3 | .400 |
| Career | 20 | 36 | .357 |
Saleh went 20-36 as the Jets' head coach, failing to register a winning season.
The Jets showed real improvement from 2021 to 2022 despite Zach Wilson's lack of progress, moving from 4-13 to 7-10, but the team couldn't get going after Rodgers' season-ending injury in 2023.
Ownership decided to keep the team's braintrust intact with Rodgers returning, publicly backing both Saleh and GM Joe Douglas before the 2023 season even ended, but a 2-3 start to this season brought Saleh's tenure to an abrupt end.
