With Ben Johnson having chosen the Bears, the AFC South team is looking at other options. After Robert Saleh impressed the Jaguars during his first meeting, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports a second interview is on tap.
Saleh will meet again with Jags brass Friday. The former Jets HC interviewed for the Cowboys and Raiders’ jobs and looks to have a 49ers DC reunion in his back pocket if another top job does not pan out. But Saleh appears to have a legitimate chance of landing another HC job months after being fired.
Saleh’s Cowboys and Raiders meetings commenced last week; he met with the Jags on January 14. While Saleh being a coveted option after three sub-.500 Jets seasons could speak to this year’s thinner talent pool — the long-held perception, at least — Gang Green’s tumble after Woody Johnson‘s abrupt decision to fire his head coach five games into this season may also have helped the defense-minded coach’s stock. The Jets went from 2-3 under Saleh this year to a 5-12 finish. The team also finished worse with Aaron Rodgers as a 17-game starter than it did with Saleh coaching Zach Wilson; the Jets went 7-10 in 2022 and ’23.
The Jags and Saleh have a short history together as well. Saleh’s springboard to his 49ers DC opportunity came after he coached the Jags’ linebackers from 2014-16. While this was not exactly a memorable period for the franchise, as it finished with double-digit losses in each of those years, Saleh was hired during Shad Khan‘s ownership tenure.
The Jets rocketed from last place in scoring and total defense in Saleh’s first season (2021) to fourth in both categories in his second. The Wilson-Nathaniel Hackett partnership put the Jets’ defense in tougher spots in 2023, when they ranked 12th in scoring. That season still produced a fourth-place finish in total defense for a unit doomed by the team’s untenable QB situation. Saleh would walk into a better spot in Jacksonville, but it remains to be seen if his resume would warrant such a bump so soon after a firing. A Saleh hire would also place great importance on identifying a play-caller to further Trevor Lawrence‘s development.
Buccaneers OC Liam Coen has been closely tied to this job. Although he has less experience on the coordinator level than Saleh, the former Sean McVay lieutenant has been mentioned as a name to watch here. It would not surprise if the Tampa Bay play-caller books a second interview as well. Via PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker, here is how the Jags’ process looks as of Monday afternoon:
- Joe Brady, offensive coordinator (Bills): Interviewed 1/18
- Liam Coen, offensive coordinator (Buccaneers): Interviewed 1/15; early contender?
- Brian Flores, defensive coordinator (Vikings): Interviewed 1/17
- Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator (Lions): Interviewed 1/11
- Patrick Graham, defensive coordinator (Raiders): Interviewed 1/11
- Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator (Lions): Interviewed 1/11; hired by Bears
- Kliff Kingsbury, offensive coordinator (Commanders): Rumored candidate, won’t interview until after season
- Todd Monken, offensive coordinator (Ravens): Interviewed 1/16
- Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Eagles): Interviewed 1/17
- Robert Saleh, former head coach (Jets): To conduct second interview 1/24
- Steve Spagnuolo, defensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/10
- Mike Vrabel, former head coach (Titans): Mentioned as candidate; hired by Patriots
Great. Hire a D minded person rather than figure out Trevor. As always Jags are a bumbling organization.
Hahahahaha. I’m sure you probably are the ones who hated the lions hiring Dan Campbell too right? Hey guess what! Head coaches CAN hire great play callers while they focus on the hundred different things coordinators don’t. (Ex: Ben johnson). If you need a video from Bill bellicheck speaking about this lmk
I didn’t hate the Campbell as a hire. Detroit needed something new & glad it has worked out. Saleh didn’t in NY. Whether or not TL is good or not is still debatable, but the front office hasn’t done him any favors. They ruined Blake B as well with bad management.
I liked this spot for Johnson, but I don’t like it for Saleh. Why? Mostly, and I could be wrong, because Saleh seems too nice to have Baalke removed to take the job. Though one could make a good argument that there are good offensive pieces in Lawrence, Thomas, Etienne, and Engram (no guarantees, but with the right coaching they’ve had moments), there is a much weaker argument for defense there (Hines-Allen and Campbell, mostly).
I would love to see Saleh get another chance, but with Baalke as GM, I don’t think that this is it for him. Chances are he ends in San Fran without being hired here, and that (or as D.C. in Detroit) would probably be a better place to rebuild his stock.