Robert Saleh is in the middle of his third season as the head coach of the New York Jets. There is a chance that it could be his last.
Rich Cimini of ESPN asked Saleh if he feels like he is coaching for his job through the final three games of the 2023 regular season.
“I’m just coaching to try and beat Washington, Rich,” Saleh responded on Monday, December 18.
Cimini then followed up by asking if job security questions ever creep into his mind especially considering how this season has gone.
“No. [There are] two types of coaches Rich, those who have been fired and those who are about to get fired, my man,” Saleh explained. “We coach in the moment. [We] coach to win a football game.”
#Jets HC Robert Saleh was asked if he thinks he is coaching for his job in the final 3 games of the season:
‘I’m just coaching to try & beat Washington.’
He was then asked if job security stuff ever creeps into his mind especially considering how the season has gone:
‘No.…
Saleh’s Career Jets Statistics Are Historically Inept
Saleh has the third-lowest winning percentage (.333) of any head coach in franchise history that has at least two seasons under their belts.
The only two coaches in Jets history that are worse are Adam Gase (.281) and Rich Kotite (.125). Both of those men were fired following their second professional season with the green and white.
The 2023 season was supposed to be a playoff-or-bust situation for the Jets after the acquisition of veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers. However, he tore his Achilles in Week 1 and it seemed like everyone was going to be handed a free pass because no one could have predicted that happening.
Every loss that is piling up is potentially changing that reality. Especially when Gang Green got blown out 30-0 against the Miami Dolphins and questions about coaching and effort were called into question.
Last year the Jets ended the season on a six-game losing streak. This year, the Jets have lost six out of their last seven still with three games left to go in the season.
Another epic collapse to end the season could force Jets Owner Woody Johnson to pull the plug on the Saleh experiment.
Saleh Addresses Jets O-Line Issues, Provides Injury Updates
The Jets’ offense didn’t have many chances to operate against the Dolphins because of a host of issues in pass protection.
Each of the five starters on the offensive line finished with less than a 57.6 overall grade from Pro Football Focus in Week 15.
Mekhi Becton (77.5), Laken Tomlinson (43.5), Joe Tippmann (46.3), Jake Hanson (41.9), and Billy Turner (45.4). Tomlinson allowed the most pressures (six), followed by Tippmann and Hanson (four each), and then Becton and Turner (three each).
#Jets OL PFF grades in Week 15:
• Mekhi Becton: 57.5
• Joe Tippmann: 46.3
• Billy Turner: 45.4
• Laken Tomlinson: 43.5
• Jake Hanson: 41.9
6 pressures allowed by Tomlinson. 4 each by Tippmann/Hanson. 3 each by Becton/Turner.
Cook, Yeboah, Conklin all allowed 1 pressure.
A media member asked Saleh about the Jets’ offensive line struggles and how they can fix it considering no reinforcements are coming to help.
“All the way across the board, from the way we coach it, the way we execute, we just got to be more detailed,” Saleh explained. “Obviously it wasn’t good enough yesterday. Again, credit to Miami, they did a great job but we have to be better all across the board.”
Saleh left the door open for a potential return for Max Mitchell and Carter Warren saying, “They have a chance.” However, things don’t look as cheery for defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson. Saleh wouldn’t rule him out with a hip injury, but “it doesn’t look good.”
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Robert Saleh Bluntly Responds to Jets Job Security Questions