The Jets entered the 2023 season thinking it was time to turn things around.
All of this changed the four plays of the season that Aaron Rodgers missed that year.
The Jets ended up with a 7-10 record, the same as they were in 2022, leaving plenty of disappointment around the team Monday as players underwent exit interviews and the team prepared for the offseason.
“There's a lot of frustration,” Saleh said. “I feel good that I was able to take the next step this year.”
Rather, the Jets wonder what would have happened if Rodgers stayed healthy and was already looking ahead to next season, when they want him to lead the team again.
Saleh brought some positives from the season, including defeating three playoff teams (Bills, Texans, and Eagles) and ending a losing streak against the Patriots.
“We cast out a lot of demons this year,” Saleh said. “For all the good things like the playoffs and division championships, there are still a lot of demons to exorcise, but even in situations where it was easy to separate the offense and defense, we were in the same locker room.”
It will be interesting to see how much fanfare the Jets bring to the 2024 season.
The hype about the team entering the 2023 season has been non-stop, from “Hard Knocks” to people predicting the Super Bowl.
Pro Bowl cornerback Sauce Gardner admitted the outside noise was a distraction.
“We lost sight of some things,” Gardner said.
Players and coaches feel they are not too far away from becoming favorites.
If they add some pieces in the offseason and stay healthy next year, they feel like they can break a 13-season playoff drought.
“I think it's a lot closer than people realize,” tight end Tyler Conklin said. “I have a lot of confidence in the front office, Joe. [Douglas] And Saleh should do what he has to do in the offseason to make this team and locker room better. ”
Saleh returns for his fourth season as the Jets' coach with an 18-33 record and three losing seasons on his resume.
Forget about hot seats. In 2024, his seat will be on fire.
Saleh was asked if he thinks next season will be a playoff or not.
“I always feel that way,” Saleh said. “I feel like I have to win all the time. This profession is results-oriented. Nobody cares about process or progress. It's about winning. So for me personally, I always expect to win. .”
Saleh said he doesn't expect any major changes to the coaching staff, with all three coordinators returning in 2024.
He admitted that this season has been difficult, but believes the team will be even stronger after overcoming it.
“It was the most testing season of my career,” Saleh said. “I'm not looking for a pity party. One thing I can say is that I feel stronger than ever about our locker room.”
