Robert Saleh was fired on Tuesday, but the Jets’ head coaching change was not the only major shake-up which was discussed. The status of offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett was set to change not long before Saleh’s dismissal. 
The fourth-year head coach was “seriously contemplating” the idea of firing Hackett, per a report from CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. That decision may have come as early as Tuesday, but given the events which have since taken place that is of course no longer possible. Hackett’s job is safe, although his role could still be altered soon.
[RELATED: Woody Johnson Denies Rodgers Had Role In Saleh Firing]
Refuting Jones’ report, SNY’s Connor Hughes states firing Hackett was never actually on the table. He and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk add that Saleh was, however, planning on stripping the much-maligned OC of his play-calling duties ahead of Week 6. Had Saleh followed through with that plan, passing game coordinator Todd Downing would have called plays with Hackett remaining on New York’s staff. The latter has faced questions throughout his New York tenure, with the team having sought out an offensive staffer to oversee him this offseason.
It was later learned former Falcons head coach Arthur Smith was one of the coaches who was contacted by the Jets about such a role. He declined the team’s interest before ultimately taking the Steelers’ OC gig. That left Hackett – a close friend of quarterback Aaron Rodgers who enjoyed a successful run with him in Green Bay – in charge of an offense which struggled mightily in 2023. Rodgers’ Week 1 Achilles tear gave the coaching staff (along with general manager Joe Douglas) a mulligan for the current season, but things have not gone according to plan so far on offense.
A healthy Rodgers (at least, aside from the low ankle sprain he suffered on Sunday and the knee injury he dealt with from the week prior) led to renewed expectations for Hackett’s unit. The Jets rank 23rd in offensive DVOA so far, though, compared to a 12th-place ranking on defense by the same metric. Optimism for improvement did not exist amongst players or coaches if Hackett remained in charge of the offense, and owner Woody Johnson has been critical of the ex-Broncos head coach’s recent performances. Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich did not immediately say who will handle play-calling duties as he takes over the 2-3 team.
If Downing were to be tapped for that role, he would be in position to lead an offense for the first time since his Titans tenure ended in 2022. The 44-year-old was retained by the organization following a November DUI arrest in that year, but he was fired at the end of the campaign. Tennessee ranked mid-pack in scoring and total offense in 2021, but the following year the team dropped to 30th and 28th, respectively, in those departments. Downing was nevertheless able to quickly land his current gig with the Jets, and he could be in line for added responsibilities.
With Saleh being fired minutes after his play-calling plan had been made known, per Hughes’ report, it will certainly be interesting to see if Ulbrich carries it out. If Hackett does retain control of the offense, though, he will no doubt face increased scrutiny as the Jets attempt to pivot from the Saleh era to the playoffs.
Why not gift Aaron shares in the company, then? He has complete control of the entire operation anyway. Make him a sweeter deal than Mark D tried doing for Tom.
Welp there’s the smoking gun that got him fired. Don’t mess with the Rodgers gang.
Rodgers couldn’t let that happen so he fired Saleh.
Yup
Now can the Jets run the ball more often? Rodgers looked like a pinata for stretches of that Vikings game despite the comeback. Help your offensive line and run the ball, Ulbrich.
What does firing Saleh have to do with running the ball? Hackett/Rodgers call the plays, Saleh and Ulbrich are defensive coaches.
Do you know how to read? The HC can make any changes he wants, like running the ball more?
Hackett might still be a problem yet to be dealt with.
He’s the jets matt Canada
He may even make Canada look good, ayyy?
What a mess. Arod just keeps sliding down my “like em” list of players, gotten rather low. He does look old out there. Defenses have been rag dolling em, kinda funny.
what a weird place.
What a cuck of an owner you have to be to let 41 year old injured, over the hill, and unfocused Rodgers dictate your coaching staff to you.
Rodgers is nothing but a prima donna. He’s a fruit loop. Jets need to cut their losses and get rid of this ugly cancer called RODGERS SYNDROME
And play who? I do agree that Rodgers, if it was as we suspect and he is the reason that New York is protecting Hackett, needs to be reigned in. But they don’t have anyone else right now to capitalize on what chance they have. They need Rodgers to play, but yielding to his wishes to this degree is unacceptable.
Rodgers needs to out there, but the Jets need to quit protecting Hackett and tell Rodgers to get over it. Firing Saleh for doing the right thing is just the worst way to deal with it. The Jets are stuck with Rodgers, and while he’s good enough to lead them to victory, he needs to have limits established. Hackett is hurting the offense, team, and even Rodgers himself, whether or not he’ll admit it.
Agreed, and I think Rodgers does know that Hackett isn’t helping himself.
I’ve stated this before but I think the decision on who makes the play calls is almost irrelevant. In game situations dictate about 90% of what you can select from your playbook and that’s assuming all your players are healthy. Offensively the simplest strategy is to get the ball into the hands of your most dangerous weapon and it has been a successful approach for decades. Too often we see guys over think a situation and call some elaborate trick play to illustrate how brilliant they are. The result are usually comical.
By all means, let the mentally ill guy who eats horse tranquilizer and mushrooms run your NFL team.
Savvy move there.
How long til Rodgers demands a trade out of town? Saleh is a good coach but there’s only so much a glorified defensive co ordinator can do with a team that’s really run by an ancient panicked owner and a well past his prime Head Coach/ Offensive Co Ordinator/ Quarterback. The Jets needed to solidify that O line and go full out ground and pound instead of firing the ball all over the field. You got a healthy young Breece Hall and ya got his legs chained up so you can feed the ball to Mike Williams and Allen Lazard? Come on. This team will never get anything dine til the owner dies.
Robert: I’m going to strip Hackett of Play-Calling Duties, if that doesn’t make him quit, I’ll fire him.
Woody: You can’t fire Hackett.
Robert: Sure I can, I’m the head coach.
Woody: Correction, you were the head coach.
Replace Woody with A-a-ron, and that’s exactly how the convo went