Early Tuesday morning news shocked the NFL world in the firing of Jets Head Coach Robert Saleh. Jets’ owner Woody Johnson shares that this was a long time coming, so what triggered him to make the decision now?
In Johnson’s conference call with reporters, he stated that firing Saleh would bring ‘new energy’ to one of the franchises ‘most talented teams’.
“This is one of the most talented teams that has ever been assembled by the New York Jets. 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”, stated Johnson.
Saleh was 20-36 as head 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, especially in week 5.
Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will serve as interim coach for the rest of the season, with the Jets trying to maintain their expectations of making the playoffs. But for now, there are not many expectations for New York.
“He’s going to add a spark of positivity,” Johnson said of Ulbrich.
The surprising move came a day after Saleh spoke on how confident he was in Aaron Rodgers and that the Jets would be able to turn things around after losing two straights including the most recent embarrassing loss in London to the Minnesota Vikings.
Nobody really understands what the real reason was that made Johnson pull the trigger now especially if this was a “long-coming decision”, but there are a couple of reasons that we can factor into the decision.
Could it have been because Saleh was wearing a Lebanese flag on his sweatshirt in London? Did the video of Aaron Rodgers shoving Saleh after he was going in for a hug in week 3 have a meaning behind it? Did the offensive play calling play a role? Or did something happen behind the scenes that sparked the firing?
The truth is, Jets fans and the NFL community are already looking at next year. “Who will be in the head coaching spot in 2025, could it be Bill Belichick?” But what about now, yes there is chaos in that Jets facility with the sudden firing of Saleh, but the Jets are still one win out from 1st place in the AFC East. They can still do this; they are still expected to make the playoffs.
We know that Johnson spoke with Rodgers on the phone on Monday but says there was no conversation about a possible coaching change. He also chatted with general manager Joe Douglas, but added “This was my decision and my decision alone.”
Don’t you think Joe Douglas should have some kind of say in the firing of a head coach? Or was this solely the decision behind Woody Johnson?
No matter what, the Jets face the 3-2 Buffalo Bills 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.
