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The New York Jets have parted ways with head coach Robert Saleh.
ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter the news on social media on Tuesday, October 8.
Jets owner Woody Johnson broke his silence on the news via a statement posted on social media.
“This morning, I informed Robert Saleh that he will no longer serve as the Head Coach of the Jets. I thanked him for his hard work these past three-and-a-half years and wished him and his family well moving forward. This was not an easy decision, but we are not where we should be given our expectations, and I believe now is the best time for us to move in a different direction.
Jeff Ulbrich will serve as our Interim Head Coach for the remainder of the season. He is a tough coach who has the respect of the coaches and players on this team. I believe he along with the coaches on this staff can get the most out of our talented team and attain the goals we established this offseason.”
Johnson’s praise of Ulbrich felt like shots at Saleh.
“He is a tough coach who has the respect of the coaches and players on this team,” Johnson said.
Sources confirm that the #Jets have fired Robert Saleh. I have touched base with several sources over the last few minutes. Sentiment shared by all: Stunned. They did not say see this coming,” SNY’s Connor Hughes revealed.
Saleh’s Tenure Ends With the Jets, New Era Begins
Saleh, 45, was hired by the Jets in 2021.
He finishes his Jets career with a 20-36 overall record.
The team will now turn to defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich as the team’s interim head coach for the remainder of the 2024 campaign.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini said it was “A stunning decision. Had a sense that Johnson’s patience was waning, but thought he’d give it another week or two. The loss to Denver shook the organization. I think people around the building felt some tension after that one. Then came London.”
Despite everything that is going on, the Jets remain just a game out of first place in the AFC East. If the green and white beat the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football in Week 6, they will have the same record as Buffalo with the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Comments From Jets Players Ring a Little Different Following Saleh Firing News
After the game, linebacker Quincy Williams went out of character with his comments about what went wrong.
“People gotta start taking accountability. People get tired of hearing the same thing every week,” Williams said via SNY.
Curiously Saleh spoke to the media on Monday, October 7. He said that it is “still early” and that no one inside the building is “panicking.”
Apparently the ownership group felt differently.
“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,” NFL Insider Dianna Russini of The Athletic said on X previously Twitter.
If Johnson truly believes that, then perhaps there is a chance the Jets can turn this around if the true problem is leadership.
An interim head coach has never won the Super Bowl. The Jets’ aspiration this season was a championship, now it’ll be that much more difficult
“This was Woody Johnson’s decision. Technically, Saleh reports to GM Joe Douglas, but Johnson made the call. After all, he owns the team. Subtext: Technically, Johnson didn’t hire Saleh. It was Christopher Johnson, who was acting owner while Woody was the ambassador to the UK,” Cimini revealed.
Under Johnson’s ownership, the Jets have never fired a head coach mid-season.
“For the history buffs: This will be the first time the Jets have made an in-season coaching change since 1976, when Lou Holtz resigned with 1 game remaining after a 3-10 start. Mike Holovak coached the final game, a 42-3 loss to the Bengals,” Cimini said.
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