Jets owner says firing of Saleh
will bring 'new energy' to one of franchise's 'most talented teams'
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[October 09, 2024]
By DENNIS WASZAK Jr.
Woody Johnson sensed his struggling New York Jets needed a change —
and now.
So the owner made the stunning decision Tuesday to fire coach Robert
Saleh just five games into his fourth season after the team's 2-3
start following a 23-17 loss to Minnesota in London on Sunday.
“This is one of the most talented teams that has ever been assembled
by the New York Jets,” Johnson said during a conference call with
reporters. "I wanted to give this team the most opportunity to win
this season. I feel that we had to go in a different direction and
that’s why I did that today.
“This change, the change that we made today — that I made — I
believe will bring new energy and positivity that will lead to more
wins, starting now.”
Saleh was 20-36 as coach of the Jets, who are trying to snap the
NFL’s longest active playoff drought at 13 seasons. The move marks
the first time in Johnson’s 25-year tenure that a head coach has
been fired during the season.
Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will serve as interim coach for
the rest of the season — with the Jets maintaining expectations to
make the playoffs.
“He’s going to add a spark of positivity," Johnson said of Ulbrich.
The surprising move came a day after Saleh said he was confident
Aaron Rodgers and the Jets would be able to turn things around after
losing two straight, including falling to undefeated Minnesota.
Rodgers had his worst game with New York, throwing three
interceptions.
“I’m not panicked,” Saleh said. "Nobody in the building is
panicked.”
But Johnson had seen enough from Saleh, who became the NFL's first
coach fired this season. Saleh, who had one year remaining on his
contract, had the worst winning percentage — .357 — of any Jets
coach with at least 40 games.
“It’s not just the last two games that has precipitated this
decision,” Johnson said. “It’s a longer time frame. I’ve had a
couple of years to think about this and I just think we can do
better. The team can do better. As we have this new leadership, I
think that’s going to bring out the best in these players, I really
do. I feel confident that that’s going to happen.”
Johnson said he spoke with Rodgers — but not about a possible
coaching change — on Monday. He also chatted with general manager
Joe Douglas, but added “this was my decision and my decision alone.”
It's the 12th time since 2000 that a team has changed coaches just
five games or fewer into a season, and the first since Matt Rhule
was fired by Carolina after five games in 2022.
The Jets face the Buffalo Bills (3-2) on Monday night, when they
have a chance to share the AFC East lead with a victory. But instead
of Saleh, it will be the 47-year-old Ulbrich leading the team on the
sideline.
Ulbrich, who played linebacker for 10 seasons with San Francisco,
joined the Jets as part of Saleh's initial staff in 2021. He opened
a video call with reporters by thanking Saleh for sticking by him
when the Jets' defense struggled in their first season together.
“Today's an exciting day for myself from the standpoint of getting
this opportunity,” Ulbrich said. “But at the same time, heavy in my
heart for Robert.”
Ulbrich was an assistant with Atlanta for six seasons before coming
to New York and was part of another midseason coaching change when
the Falcons fired Dan Quinn five games into the 2020 season.
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New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh walks on the field before an
NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Sept. 29,
2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
“We’re not playing to our potential," Ulbrich said.
"We're not. We’re too talented to be putting the product we put out
there the last couple of weeks, especially. We have to take a hard
look at everything and be honest with ourselves.”
After success as San Francisco's defensive coordinator for four
seasons, Saleh replaced the fired Adam Gase in January 2021 after
the Jets went 9-23 in his tenure.
Saleh, the son of Lebanese parents, was believed to be the first
Muslim head coach in NFL history when the Jets hired him. Saleh wore
a patch of Lebanon's flag on his left arm during the game in London
on Sunday, something he also did at times last season. The NFL
encouraged players and coaches to represent their heritage.
Saleh's tenure began with a major decision as he and Douglas moved
on from quarterback Sam Darnold — the No. 3 overall pick in 2018 —
to draft Zach Wilson with the second overall pick in 2021.
While Saleh and Ulbrich's defense was a strength for the Jets,
Wilson and the offense struggled mightily.
The Jets traded for Rodgers in April 2023, adding the four-time NFL
MVP to a franchise looking for a winner. But last season was
short-circuited when Rodgers tore his left Achilles tendon four
snaps into his debut.
New York limped to a 7-10 record and while Johnson wouldn't
specifically say there was a playoff mandate for this season, the
owner made it clear during the offseason he needed to see marked
improvement by saying “we have to do a lot better than seven games.”
Rodgers healed and was ready for the season opener, but he has been
banged up the past two weeks and is dealing with a sprained ankle
that hobbled him throughout the Jets' loss to Darnold and the
Vikings. Saleh said Monday that preliminary tests indicated Rodgers
should be able to play against the Bills.
But now Saleh will be only a spectator.
There were questions about his relationship with the 40-year-old
Rodgers, but both denied any friction as recently as last week in
London when the quarterback said “there’s some driving force trying
to put a wedge outside the facility” between the two.
The Jets now will try to become the third team to make the playoffs
with an interim coach leading the way, hoping to join the 2021
Raiders with Rich Bisaccia and the 1961 Oilers with Wally Lemm.
“This is a new day for the team and it’s a new day that’s welcome,”
Johnson said. “And as the team realizes what opportunity this is for
them, I think they’re going to go to a level that we haven’t seen in
a while.”
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AP Pro Football Writer Josh Dubow contributed to this report.
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