The New York Jets fired head coach Robert Saleh on Tuesday amid the group’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 group’s interim head coach, the Jets introduced, as Saleh leaves Florham Park, New Jersey, with an total document of 20-26 in slightly 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,” group proprietor Woody Johnson stated in an announcement.
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“This was not a simple resolution however we aren’t the place we needs to be given our expectations, and I imagine now’s one of the best time for us to maneuver in a unique course.”
The group entered this 2024 marketing campaign with excessive hopes and Rodgers’ return to the huddle after lacking almost 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.
However the previous two weekends have resulted in irritating losses, at residence to the Denver Broncos and in London towards the Minnesota Vikings.
Along with the dropping, there’s additionally been perceived rigidity between Rogers and Saleh.
The Jets dedicated 5 false begin penalties within the Denver loss and Saleh stated it might be linked to the difficult cadence Rodgers employs when barking out pre-snap indicators.
And within the win over New England, Rodgers appeared to rebuff an tried hug from Saleh after a landing.
On the time of his hiring, Saleh was celebrated as the primary Muslim head coach of an NFL group. He was escorted off of group headquarters by the group’s safety director, NBC Sports activities reported.
“We commend Coach Robert Saleh for making historical past as the primary American Muslim head coach in NFL historical past,” in response to an announcement Tuesday by the Council on American Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil rights group.
“Though nobody ought to bounce to conclusions about why the Jets fired Coach Saleh, the report that Jets safety bodily escorted Saleh out of the constructing does increase considerations concerning the doable motive for such uncommon hostility.”
U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., known as Saleh’s firing a “uncooked deal” and pinned the group’s poor fortunes on Rodgers, offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, the entrance workplace and former QB Zach Wilson.
“Robert Saleh received 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 saved the protection nice via the hardest occasions. Uncooked deal.”
The lame duck lawmaker additionally questioned out loud if Saleh’s embrace of his Lebanese heritage might have performed any position on this termination.
Though Saleh has worn a patch of the Lebanese flag on his in-game gear earlier than, that style 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’re very pleased with Robert and the achievements he made in his younger profession,” American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee Government Director Abed Ayoub stated in an announcement.
“As the primary Muslim Arab-American NFL head coach, he has paved the best way for future expertise in our neighborhood. We’ve got little doubt that New York will not be the final cease on his teaching and soccer journey. The neighborhood will at all times be there, cheering on his continued success and progress.”
Saleh can be the third coach on this previous decade to be fired after his group 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.