The Jets abruptly fired head coach Robert Saleh on Tuesday after starting the season 2-3.
Saleh went 20-36 in five games in his fourth year as the Jets' coach. With quarterback Aaron Rodgers returning from a season-ending injury in 2023, the Jets entered the 2024 season with a shot at the Super Bowl.
However, the Jets have not had a good start to the season and have fallen in the standings in their last two games. The final game was a 23-17 loss to the Vikings in London on Sunday. Aaron Rodgers threw three interceptions in this game, and the offense looked defeated for much of the game.
Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will serve as interim head coach.
“This morning, I informed Robert Saleh that I no longer intend to serve as the head coach of the Jets,” owner Woody Johnson said in a statement. “I thank him for his hard work over the past three and a half years and wish him and his family the best moving forward. This was not an easy decision to make, but we are doing what we expected. No. I believe this is the best time to move in a different direction.
“Jeff Ulbrich will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season. He is a tough coach who is respected by the coaches and players on this team. I am confident that he and the coaches on this staff will lead a talented team. I believe we can make the most of it and achieve the goals we established this offseason.”
Saleh had one year left on his 2021 contract.
This is the first time Woody Johnson has fired a head coach during a season, and the first time the Jets have changed coaches midway through a season since Lou Holtz retired in 1976.
Saleh's tenure was marked by excellent defense and terrible quarterback play.
He takes over a team that went 2-14 in 2020 under coach Adam Gase. The Jets selected quarterback Zach Wilson with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 draft and went 4-13 in Saleh's first year. Wilson never progressed, and the Jets went 7-10, dropping their final six games of the 2022 season. Wilson replaced Mike White on the bench late that season.
The Jets made a big move to trade for Aaron Rodgers in the spring of 2023, and high expectations were placed on Saleh's third season. But Rodgers tore his Achilles tendon in his left foot four plays into the season, and the Jets were once again 7-10 with Wilson, Tim Boyle and quarterback Trevor Siemian.
Expectations were once again raised this year with the return of a healthy Rodgers.
The Jets lost to the 49ers in Week 1, but bounced back with two wins over the Titans and Patriots, the latter of which they won on Thursday Night Football.
But then the Jets hit rock bottom with a crushing home loss to the Broncos. The Jets committed 15 penalties, 13 of which were allowed, including five false starts. The Jets didn't look ready to play, and the penalty was a bad reflection for Saleh. After the match, Saleh appeared to get a false start following Rodgers' rhythm.
The Jets then headed to London and fell behind 17-0 to the Vikings early on, but then rallied to make it a one-score game. They fell short on the final series when Rodgers threw his third interception of the game.
Mr Johnson, who served as ambassador to the UK under Donald Trump from 2017 to 2021, was certainly upset by the loss. Former Jets first-round pick Sam Darnold will play quarterback for the Vikings.
Ulbrich, who has been with the Jets under Saleh since 2021, will get his first chance to prove he can rebuild the Jets.
If he doesn't get the full-time job, next year he will be working with former Titans coach Mike Vrabel and the former Patriots coach who famously resigned as Jets coach 24 years ago without coaching a game. There are some interesting options like Bill Belichick.
