New York Jets fire head coach Robert Saleh just 5 games into season
NEW YORK -- The New York Jets have fired head coach Robert Saleh just five games into the season, the team announced on Tuesday.
Saleh was named head coach in January 2021, becoming the NFL's first Muslim head coach. During his tenure, the Jets went 20-36, including 2-3 this season, all part of the NFL's longest active playoff drought, which stands at 13 seasons.
Defensive Coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will take over as interim head coach, owner Woody Johnson confirmed.
"This is one of the most talented teams that has ever been assembled by the New York Jets," Johnson said during a conference call with reporters. "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 that will lead to more wins, starting now."
Johnson said he expects the players to take to Ulbrich as the man in charge immediately.
"I've seen him coach, I know the relationship he has with the players and they respect him," Johnson said. "They trust him. I've seen it at halftime and I've seen it in practice. When he talks, they listen to him in a way that probably represents the fact that he did play the sport as linebacker for 10 years, which is pretty unique. He brings that knowledge and the respect and the knowledge to the game in a way that I think that will be very good for the players going forward."
Ulbrich said Tuesday the Jets have all the tools to be much better than what they have shown.
"I agree with Mr. Johnson as far as the talent of this roster," Ulbrich said. "We have been underperforming for whatever the reason, and we're going to take a hard look at all of it. I really believe we lock arms, we commit to the process, we will have success. We will."
Coming into the season, the Jets had lofty goals, with some fans and media types even whispering about the Super Bowl. The Jets still hope to make the playoffs for the first time since losing in the AFC Championship game at the end of the 2010 season, and have made numerous moves, specifically during this past offseason, to do so.
Yet, the Jets find themselves under .500 in October, including a dismal performance in a 10-9 home loss to the Denver Broncos two weeks ago. They followed that up with a brutal start in an eventual 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday in London.
The latter was quarterback Aaron Rodgers' worst game with New York as he threw three interceptions and was often running for his life behind an offensive line that has struggled to protect him and open holes in the running game.
Saleh said he was not in panic mode after the Vikings loss
Thanks to the AFC East being thus far a collection of middling teams, the Jets will take on the Buffalo Bills next Monday night at MetLife Stadium with a chance to take over first place.
On Monday, Saleh said he was confident they would be able to turn things around.
"There's so much football to be played," he told reporters. "There's so many things that we can get better at, and there's so many things that we can continue to build on, the things that we are doing well."
"So, I'm not panicked," he added. "Nobody in the building is panicked."
This is the first time in owner Johnson's 25-year tenure a head coach has been fired during a season. The last time the Jets let a head coach go in-season was in 1975, when Charley Winner was dismissed after a 2-7 start and replaced by Ken Shipp on an interim basis. Lou Holtz was hired prior to the start of the following season, but resigned after starting 3-10.
Who is Jeff Ulbrich?
Ulbrich, who played linebacker for 10 seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, joined the Jets as part of Saleh's initial staff in 2021. He was an an assistant with Atlanta for six seasons before coming to New York.
The Jets defense has not been the problem in the early going of the 2024 season. The unit is currently ranked second in the NFL, allowing only 256 yards per game, and is tied for fifth in scoring defense, allowing just 17 points per game.
The Jets have also racked up 18 sacks, their most after five games since 2008.
The defense has been getting it done despite not having holdout edge rusher Haason Reddick all season, losing defensive end Jermaine Johnson to a season-ending Achilles' injury, and playing the last few games without all-everything middle linebacker CJ Mosley due to a toe injury.
Ulbrich will be tasked with turning around an offense that has been equally as bad. The Jets are currently 27th in total offense, averaging 287 yards per game, and 25th in scoring, averaging 18.6 points per game.
Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett's status
Despite all of their problems on offense, the Jets reportedly are not looking to replace offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.
Hackett, who was hired prior to last season to run the offense following a forgettable one-year spin as head coach in Denver, is known to be a favorite of Rodgers' due to their relationship while the future Hall of Fame quarterback was winning MVP awards in Green Bay.
Johnson said Tuesday afternoon Rodgers, who the Jets have seemingly hitched their wagons to for as long as the 40-year-old decides to keep playing, was not consulted on the decision to fire Saleh.
Hackett's play-calling has been called into question periodically during the Jets' slow start, specifically how they have run the ball less and less and asked Rodgers to attempt 96 passes over the last two games. This despite having two talented running backs in Breece Hall and rookie Braelon Allen, who combined for just 18 total touches in the loss to the Vikings.
Ulbrich said on Tuesday there will be no changes to the offensive coaching staff, but added there will be a "deep dive" into everything, including play-calling.
One thing is certain: Ulbrich, Hackett and the rest of the coaches on that side of the ball are going to have to figure out a way to get better play from the rebuilt offensive line. Rodgers has already been sacked 13 times this season and the Jets are averaging an NFL-low 80.4 yards per game on the ground.
