The New York Jets fired head coach Robert Saleh on Tuesday amid the crew’s disappointing begin to this season and obvious tensions between star quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the now-former sideline boss.
Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will act because the crew’s interim head coach, the Jets introduced, as Saleh leaves Florham Park, New Jersey, with an general file of 20-26 in a bit greater than 3 1/4 seasons on the helm.
“This morning, I knowledgeable Robert Saleh that he’ll now not function Head Coach of the Jets,” crew proprietor Woody Johnson mentioned in a press release.
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“This was not a simple choice however we aren’t the place we needs to be given our expectations, and I imagine now could be one of the best time for us to maneuver in a unique course.”
The crew entered this 2024 marketing campaign with excessive hopes and Rodgers’ return to the huddle after lacking practically all of 2023 with a leg damage.
The Jets have been blown out within the season opener by the San Francisco 49ers earlier than rebounding with wins over the woeful Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots.
But the previous two weekends have resulted in irritating losses, at house to the Denver Broncos and in London towards the Minnesota Vikings.
In addition to the shedding, there’s additionally been perceived rigidity between Rogers and Saleh.
The Jets dedicated 5 false begin penalties within the Denver loss and Saleh mentioned it might be linked to the tough cadence Rodgers employs when barking out pre-snap alerts.
And within the win over New England, Rodgers appeared to rebuff an tried hug from Saleh after a landing.
At the time of his hiring, Saleh was celebrated as the primary Muslim head coach of an NFL crew. He was escorted off of crew headquarters by the crew’s safety director, NBC Sports reported.
“We commend Coach Robert Saleh for making historical past as the primary American Muslim head coach in NFL historical past,” based on a press release Tuesday by the Council on American Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil rights group.
“Although nobody ought to soar to conclusions about why the Jets fired Coach Saleh, the report that Jets safety bodily escorted Saleh out of the constructing does elevate considerations concerning the attainable motive for such uncommon hostility.”
U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., known as Saleh’s firing a “uncooked deal” and pinned the crew’s poor fortunes on Rodgers, offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, the entrance workplace and former QB Zach Wilson.
“Robert Saleh obtained a uncooked deal and Aaron Rodgers undermined him each step of the best way,” Bowman posted on X. ”This was downhill since @nyjets drafted Zach Wilson. Nathaniel Hackett is trash. Saleh stored the protection nice by way of the hardest instances. Raw deal.”
The lame duck lawmaker additionally questioned out loud if Saleh’s embrace of his Lebanese heritage may have performed any position on this termination.
Although Saleh has worn a patch of the Lebanese flag on his in-game gear earlier than, that trend accent drew new eyes Sunday within the wake of Israel’s ongoing assault on its northern neighbor.
The 45-year-old Saleh joined the Jets after a profitable four-season run as defensive coordinator of the 49ers.
“We are very happy with Robert and the achievements he made in his younger profession,” American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee Executive Director Abed Ayoub mentioned in a press release.
“As the primary Muslim Arab-American NFL head coach, he has paved the best way for future expertise in our group. We have little doubt that New York isn’t the final cease on his teaching and soccer journey. The group will all the time be there, cheering on his continued success and development.”
Saleh can also be the third coach on this previous decade to be fired after his crew misplaced in London.
The Oakland Raiders terminated Dennis Allen in 2014, following an 0-4 begin and loss to the Miami Dolphins at Wembley Stadium.
Miami fired Joe Philbin after his 1-3 Dolphins misplaced in 2015 to the Jets, additionally at Wembley.
Rohan Nadkarni contributed.