In a shocking move, the New York Jets fired head coach Robert Saleh on Tuesday. In three-plus seasons with the Jets, Saleh, who had one year left on his contract, was 20-36.
Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich was named the team’s interim coach.
After a 2-1 start, New York has lost two straight, and those two losses were enough for Jets owner Woody Johnson to move on from Saleh.
Saleh was reportedly shocked by the move, and according to Johnson, the decision to fire Saleh was his choice.
“I did talk to Joe Douglas(Jets GM) about it, but at the end of the day, this was my decision and my decision alone,” Johnson said. “I have had enough experience doing these things, it is the first time I have done it this early, but once again I thought and think that this will help the team, help this talented team achieve the goals that the team wants and that I want and the fans want.”
With 40-year-old Aaron Rodgers as the quarterback, the Jets are built to win now. Johnson believes in the talent on this roster, which he says is the most he has had since he owned the team.
“I just want my opening statement is that this is one of the most talented teams that has ever been assembled by the New York Jets,” he said. “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. This change, the change that we made today, that I made, I believe will bring new energy, and positivity, and will lead to more wins starting now. I want to say, which I’ve said earlier to some of the members of the leadership team, that represents the players, how proud I am of this team, this specific team this year, and excited about what could happen and what will happen, particularly given these changes that we’ve made today.”
Johnson believes Ulbrich will get the most out of the talent on New York’s roster.
“I just felt that the best way to go forward was with a new direction, and taking Jeff Ulbrich, and making him the interim head coach,” Johnson said. “I thought that would get the most out of this team and give us the best chance that well all want to have, which is going to the playoffs.”
Many will say Rodgers had much to do with this move, and Johnson said he talked to Rodgers, but it wasn’t about Saleh.
“Well, I did talk to him the night before, but we didn’t discuss this specifically at all,” he said. “I mean, we were basically talking about the previous game, and his breaking 60,000 yards, 60,000 yards record, and accomplishing that, and sorry he got hit so many times, and that and how was he feeling, so no, in terms of whether I was going to do it or not, we didn’t discuss that.”
The timing for this move is curious, and it’s hard to believe that Rodgers did not have a say in this decision, especially if there was talk that Saleh could fire offensive coordinator Nathanial Hackett, a Rodgers guy.
Johnson thinks the Jets have the talent to win a title, and it’s not out of the realm of possibility. However, after five games, the Jets do not look like a championship-caliber team, but maybe Ulbrich and Rodgers can push all the right buttons and get New York to the playoffs and beyond.
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