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Robert Saleh

Raiders To Meet With Robert Saleh

January 9th, 2025 at 11:36am CST by Sam Robinson

Robert Saleh could have the 49ers’ defensive coordinator gig — what would be a second time in that role — in his back pocket, though time may be an issue for both parties. A second head coach interview request has since come Saleh’s way.

After the Jaguars requested a meeting, Saleh is set to meet with the Raiders, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports. Saleh’s Jaguars interview is slated for Tuesday, and NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo adds Saleh’s Raiders meeting is scheduled for next week.

Las Vegas’ search party remains in the early stages. The team did secure a meeting with Lions OC Ben Johnson, who again resides as one of the top names on the market. Saleh joins Glenn and Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo as defense-oriented options to receive Raiders requests. This represents more momentum for Saleh, who has been working with the Packers in an advisory role for several weeks.

The Jets fired Saleh after the team started 2-3. No interim bounce occurred, as Jeff Ulbrich was unable to revive the team’s prospects in the way Woody Johnson hoped. The Jets’ first (and likely last) season with Aaron Rodgers as the full-time starter deteriorated following Saleh’s ouster. Saleh, 45, dealt with several Rodgers-generated hiccups — the minicamp absence among them — and saw his HC stint largely defined by Zach Wilson‘s struggles in the three years prior.

Though, Saleh improved the Jets’ defense significantly in that span. After New York ranked last across the board defensively in 2021, Saleh and Ulbrich vaulted the unit to fourth in 2022. It remained a top-five total defense in both 2023 and ’24. Ulbrich remains in play for the Jets’ full-time HC post, though he is not considered the favorite for a team starting over in the front office as well. In the meantime, Saleh will be set to tell some interesting stories to two AFC suitors. More DC interest stands to emerge if he does not land either top job.

Via PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker, here is how the Raiders’ hunt looks on Day 2 post-Antonio Pierce:

Nick Sorensen Won’t Return As 49ers Defensive Coordinator

January 7th, 2025 at 8:47pm CST by Ben Levine

The 49ers will be seeking their fourth defensive coordinator in four years. Nick Sorensen won’t return as the 49ers defensive coordinator in 2025, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area.

However, Sorensen’s stint in San Francisco may not be over. Maiocco adds that the 49ers are hoping they can keep the coach on Kyle Shanahan’s staff for next season. One option could be special teams coordinator, as Matt Barrows of The Athletic notes. The 49ers fired ST coordinator Brian Schneider the other day, and Sorensen served in that role during his time with the Jaguars.

After ranking third in points allowed in 2023, the 49ers dropped to 29th during Sorenson’s first season at the helm. The defense also struggled to generate turnovers, with Cam Inman of the Mercury News noting that the team had zero interceptions over their final seven games and only one fumble recovery over their final 11 games.

There was hope that Sorenson would help guide the 49ers to a new level after the team fired Steve Wilks last offseason. The former NFL journeyman moved quickly through the coaching ranks in San Francisco, where he worked his way up from a defensive assistant to defensive pass game specialist to defensive coordinator in three seasons. In addition to his one-year stint as Jaguars ST coordinator, Sorenson also had experience coaching defense with the Seahawks, where he served as the team’s secondary coach during the final seasons of the Legion of Boom era.

While the 49ers dealt with a long list of injuries, the team clearly wasn’t willing to tolerate the clear regression from the defense in 2024. Now, the organization will be seeking their fourth defensive coordinator in four seasons. Prior to Wilks one-year stint as defensive coordinator, DeMeco Ryans spent two years in the role before becoming head coach of the Texans.

Ryans’ predecessor, Robert Saleh, could be a candidate to take over for Sorenson, as Inman notes. Saleh spent four years as San Francisco’s defensive coach before leaving to become the Jets head coach in 2021. He was canned by the Jets earlier this season before catching on as a consultant in Green Bay, and he’s already emerged as a candidate for the Jaguars head coaching vacancy. It’s more likely that Saleh’s return to coaching will require a stop as coordinator, and a familiar spot in San Francisco could be his softest-possible landing.

Inman also points to Jeff Ulbrich and Gus Bradley as potential candidates for the 49ers new DC opening. Ulbrich most recently served as Saleh’s interim replacement in New York, and that was preceded by a three-plus-year stint as the Jets DC. The veteran coach crossed paths with Shanahan in Atlanta, and he spent his entire 10-year playing career in San Francisco.

Bradley and Shanahan have never worked alongside each other, but the veteran coach brings plenty of experience. Bradley most recently served as the Colts defensive coordinator, a role he held for three seasons before getting dismissed yesterday. Bradley also held DC roles with the Raiders, Chargers, and Seahawks, and he had a four-year stint as head coach with the Jaguars.

Jaguars Submit HC Interview Requests

January 7th, 2025 at 11:09am CST by Adam La Rose

As expected, the Jaguars fired Doug Pederson following his third season at the helm. As a result, Jacksonville is one of five teams in need of a new head coach.

On Monday, it was learned a trio of offensive coordinators were on the Jaguars’ radar: Ben Johnson (Lions), Liam Coen (Buccaneers) and Joe Brady (Bills). All three have indeed received an interview request, but the team announced on Tuesday that other coaches are also on the radar.

Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken is among the coaches whom the Jags are seeking an interview with. Monken has already received a slip from the Bears, and it comes as little surprise he is drawing interest from multiple suitors. Baltimore led the league in total offense this season, ranking third in scoring with an average of 30.5 points per game. A veteran position coach and coordinator at the college and pro levels, the 58-year-old has never been a head coach in the NFL.

Another OC on the Jaguars’ radar is Kellen Moore. Following a four-year run as the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator, the former quarterback spent the 2023 season in the same role with the Chargers. With the Bolts making sweeping moves on the sidelines last offseason under Jim Harbaugh, though, Moore was expectedly on the move again in the 2024 hiring cycle. The 35-year-old has worked with the Eagles this year, and the team ranks top-10 in points and yards per game. Moore has also received an interview request from the Saints for their HC position.

A trio of coaches with a defensive background have received a slip from Jacksonville. That includes, interestingly, Robert Saleh. The 45-year-old was this season’s first head firing when his Jets tenure came to an end in Year 4. Saleh’s coaching history also includes four years as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator and, prior to that, several gigs as a positional coach. One of those was Jacksonville’s linebackers coach from 2014-16. Saleh has worked with the Packers since October, and it will be interesting to see if he considers a return to Duval County during this year’s hiring cycle.

In addition, Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham has received an interview request. He spent the past three seasons leading Vegas’ defense, and he also has experience as a DC with the Dolphins and Giants. Graham, 45, served as an assistant head coach during two of his years in New York, but he has never led a staff at the college or NFL levels. This is his first HC interview request of the 2025 hiring cycle.

Rounding out the Jags’ list is Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. To little surprise, he has joined Johnson as one of the top candidates this year, and his name has been attached to three other suitors. Jacksonville could therefore have competition for his services if an interview is arranged and it goes well.

Many were surprised when it was learned Jags general manager Trent Baalke will be retained in the wake of Pederson’s dismissal. Questions have been raised about how willing the top candidates will be to head to Jacksonville as a result, and it will be interesting to see how many of the team’s initial targets set up an interview over the near future.

Jets Notes: Johnson, Rodgers, Hackett

December 20th, 2024 at 10:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

Thursday brought a strange revelation from Jets headquarters, bringing Madden into the strange role of roster determinations. Beyond the Jerry Jeudy near-trade quickly becoming one of the odder what-ifs in recent NFL history, the Jets may need to run through some other matters as they attempt to make quality GM and HC hires.

Some of the dysfunction reported does stem from Aaron Rodgers, who effectively kept Nathaniel Hackett employed as the team’s play-caller coming into the season. Before the Jets launched a stealth search for a coach who would cut into Hackett’s duties, The Athletic’s well-detailed Dianna Russini, Zack Rosenblatt and Michael Silver report indicates Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall expressed were not happy with the embattled OC throughout last season (subscription required). This may well have led to a meeting that helped the Rodgers-Woody Johnson relationship reach its present point.

Rumblings circulated that Johnson wanted to fire Hackett after the 2023 season, but Rodgers is believed to have stepped in to prevent that from happening. Rodgers has been close with Hackett since their Green Bay days, long stumping for the veteran OC. This included an offseason meeting with Johnson that “didn’t go over well” with the owner, per The Athletic. Rodgers had brought up this matter with Johnson. Months later, the owner attempted to have the QB benched.

Shortly after that benching effort, Johnson went around GM Joe Douglas and fired Robert Saleh. While Rodgers was accused of being complicit in that ouster, The Athletic notes the quarterback’s conversation with Johnson included a request the owner remain patient with the head coach. This also runs counter to Johnson’s claim the two did not discuss Saleh in that meeting. As could be expected, Rodgers had also told Saleh he disagreed with the then-HC’s decision to demote Hackett — a move interim HC Jeff Ulbrich ended up carrying out anyway.

Going back to Rodgers’ lost 2023 season, the Jets being mathematically eliminated in Week 14 had led Rodgers to cool down his crusade to return from his Achilles tear before season’s end and instead gear up for 2024. This involved continuing to rehab in Los Angeles, but The Athletic adds Johnson pushed the quarterback to come back to New York and return to practice. This prompted the Jets to use one of their injury activations on a player who did not end up playing again. Rodgers expressed disappointment he was activated as it cost fullback Nick Bawden a roster spot. Rodgers said during a Pat McAfee Show appearance the activation — which occurred in Week 16 — was not his idea.

Other strange quarterback incidents have occurred during Johnson’s recent years back from his role as ambassador to the United Kingdom. He is believed to have criticized then-starter Mike White in front of other players, following a Week 17 loss to the Seahawks in which White played through broken ribs. Allegedly saying, “You should throw your helmet; you f—– suck” in reference to White postgame, per Russini, Rosenblatt and Silver. Johnson later apologized to the QB once the owner’s comments eventually got back to him, per a Jets spokesperson. White left in free agency weeks later, leaving the Jets without veteran protection once Rodgers went down.

Postgame criticism from the Johnsons has not been isolated to quarterbacks, as The Athletic adds the owner’s teenage sons — Brick and Jack — were heard “loudly” criticizing multiple players after the Jets’ Week 17 loss to the Browns in 2023. In a separate matter related to access, Johnson also had members of his investment group at Jets draft and free agency meetings this year. These revelations, among others involving access to the team’s locker room, will not exactly endear the Jets to free agents.

Additionally, in a matter perhaps stranger than the Jeudy process, Johnson is believed to have told Douglas to keep the Jets’ Mr. Irrelevant draft choice (No. 257) and instead trade 256 to the Broncos. Denver had asked for No. 257 in the pick-swap trade for Zach Wilson, but the teams ended up finalizing a weeks-long negotiation in a trade that included No. 256 going from Denver to New York. This would be a rather shocking footnote for an eventful Jets year, as this report would have Johnson valuing Mr. Irrelevant-related publicity over a slightly better pick.

White and Wilson are long gone, while Rodgers is viewed as on his way out. But the 2024 Jets draft also included another quarterback, Jordan Travis, chosen in the fifth round. This will amount to a redshirt season for the Florida State alum, who has been on the reserve/NFI list throughout the season. Ulbrich said (via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini) the ankle injury that altered the Seminoles’ CFP hopes last year remains an issue, indicating Travis has suffered setbacks in his recovery this year.

Unlike Hendon Hooker last year, Travis does not appear set to move onto his team’s active roster before season’s end. This would mean Travis’ contract would toll, extending his rookie deal through 2028. Travis has bigger hurdles to navigate in the short term, however.

Johnson is viewed as likely to stay with the Jets following this season. The news of Donald Trump’s second presidential administration tabbing someone else (banker Warren Stevens) as the UK ambassador surprised Johnson, according to The Athletic. The owner will continue to play the lead role in hiring a coach and GM, doing so after brother Christopher Johnson hired Douglas and Saleh. Some hesitation from candidates certainly could be part of the fallout from recent events becoming public.

Joe Douglas Fallout: Jets, Johnson, Rodgers, Saleh, Brown, Ravens

November 19th, 2024 at 8:50pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Jets’ firing of general manager Joe Douglas was not necessarily a surprise given the team’s struggles during his tenure, but Tuesday’s announcement still felt unusual with six games remaining in the season. Douglas’ contract was set to expire after the 2025 season, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini, giving New York a natural transition point as they attempt to rebuild from a disastrous two years since trading for quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

However, Jets owner Woody Johnson grew impatient after his team dropped to 3-8 after giving up a fourth-quarter lead to the Colts in Week 11. Rather than wait until the offseason to find his next general manager, Johnson opted to fire Douglas so he could begin the search for a successor without any internal awkwardness, according to Cimini.

Johnson’s statement announcing Douglas’ departure included a note that the team “will begin the process to identify a new General Manager immediately,” though the Jets cannot interview any external candidates until the end of the regular season. Here is the latest coming out of the Jets’ GM firing:

  • Douglas’ days were clearly numbered when he was cut out of Johnson’s decision to fire head coach Robert Saleh in October. The fact that Douglas lasted more than a month longer than Saleh surprised some in New York, per Cimini. Since the team was openly pursuing Davante Adams while trying to resolve Haason Reddick‘s holdout, the Jets may have wanted to keep Douglas around for appearance’s sake until those moves were finalized.
  • However, Douglas “lost most of his authority” after Saleh’s firing, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz, with other Jets executives handling negotiations with the Raiders and Reddick, both of which had stalled under Douglas. Since stepping back from his duties, Douglas “had become disenchanted in recent weeks,” per Cimini, “hoping a miracle turnaround might change things.”
  • Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown could be a candidate to become the Jets’ next general manager, according to Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post. Brown interviewed for the Raiders’ GM gig during the offseason and turned down a request from the Patriots to interview for the same position. However, Johnson has largely listened to “nonfootball yes men” as the Jets’ owner, with outside criticism driving too much of the team’s direction, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. Johnson ponied up a six-year, $20MM contract to secure Douglas to lead the front office in 2019, but money will only go so far to lure a would-be general manager who wants to execute his own vision for the franchise’s future.
  • Johnson even suggested benching Rodgers after a 10-9 loss to the Broncos in Week 4, per Zach Rosenblatt and Diana Russini of The Athletic. Douglas and the coaching staff had to convince Johnson to stay the course with Rodgers to avoid embarrassing the mercurial quarterback and upsetting the locker room.
  • Douglas’ next career move could be returning to Baltimore, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. He began his front office career as a Ravens scout in 2000 and remained in the team’s personnel department until the Bears hired him as director of college scouting in 2015. Douglas still enjoys a solid reputation in Baltimore, and he drafted several excellent young players in New York, including Garrett Wilson, Sauce Gardner, Jermaine Johnson, Breece Hall, and Michael Clemons all in 2022.
  • With their owner cleaning house and questions circling around Rodgers’ future in New York, the Jets’ locker room has “checked out,” according to SNY’s Connor Hughes. “Players aren’t angry or annoyed at their 3-8 record. They’re, as one person described, “just ready for it to be over.”

Jets GM Joe Douglas On Future With Team, Robert Saleh Dismissal; Latest On Owner Woody Johnson

November 10th, 2024 at 12:10pm CST by Rory Parks

At his midseason press conference on Wednesday, which lasted less than 10 minutes (h/t Rich Cimini of ESPN.com), GM Joe Douglas offered a few terse, notable non-answers with respect to owner Woody Johnson’s decision to fire head coach Robert Saleh without Douglas’ input. 

When asked whether he agreed with Johnson’s call, Douglas did not answer directly. He merely said that he had nothing more to add to the conversation and that, “I serve at the pleasure of the owner” (per Brian Costello of the New York Post, Douglas and Saleh enjoyed a close relationship, and Costello believes it unlikely that Douglas would have recommended Saleh’s dismissal).

In the immediate aftermath of Saleh’s ouster — which Cimini says upset some players — it was reported that Douglas would at least survive the current season. However, 2024 is the last year of his contract, and unless the 3-6 Jets surge to a playoff berth, it would be surprising if Douglas is retained for 2025. While he does have some highlights on his resume, the 30-62 record he has compiled over his five-plus seasons at the top of Gang Green’s front office and the abject failure of his Zach Wilson selection would likely be too much to overcome if New York does not qualify for the postseason.

That said, he indicated he is still hopeful that the Jets can make a playoff push, and he cited his club’s improved performance in a Halloween win over the Texans as reason for optimism. When asked about his own job security, he said, “I come in here every day, just do whatever I can to help this team reach its goals and get to its destination. Whatever happens, happens” (via Cimini).

In addition to the win-now acquisition of wide receiver Davante Adams — which, per Cimini, was done with an eye towards improving the locker room culture as well as the on-field product — Douglas followed through on a trade of fellow wideout Mike Williams, securing a fifth-round pick in a draft (2025) that he may not get to oversee. Douglas signed Williams to a one-year, $10MM deal this offseason, and he indicated during his presser that Williams’ inability to get on the field during spring work and for a portion of training camp undermined his Jets’ tenure.

“Not being part … of OTAs, not being able to be part of a majority of training camp, just could never really get that synched up,” Douglas said (via Costello). “This is a great opportunity for him to have a fresh start. It’s a move that we wouldn’t have made had we not felt good about the guys we have in the room. Us acquiring a player like Davante gives us the flexibility if a team wants to be aggressive to acquire a player like Mike, we can do that.”

When Saleh was hired, Johnson was serving as the ambassador to the United Kingdom for then-President Donald Trump. His brother, Christopher Johnson, worked with Douglas in running the HC search and bringing Saleh aboard. 

Following Trump’s recent re-election, many believe Woody Johnson will again depart the team to return to the U.K. or to accept a different appointment, as Costello reports in a separate piece (a report that Ian Rapoport of NFL.com echoes). However, such an appointment would likely not happen until Johnson has had time to make a decision on Douglas’ future, set a budget, and hire the team’s next permanent head coach. Christopher Johnson would then step back in to oversee day-to-day operations.

Robert Saleh Working With Packers

October 23rd, 2024 at 9:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Robert Saleh turned up at Packers practice Wednesday, and it does not appear the recently fired Jets HC was merely visiting. Matt LaFleur has a role in mind for the veteran defensive coach.

Crediting Saleh with helping him break into the NFL coaching ranks, LaFleur said (via ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky) Saleh will work with the team through Thursday in a fluid role. Saleh was not expected coach elsewhere this season, but he has decided to help LaFleur for at least this week.

Saleh and LaFleur lived together while graduate assistants at Central Michigan in the 2000s. Saleh then encouraged Gary Kubiak to hire LaFleur as a Texans offensive assistant in 2008, Demovsky adds. LaFleur was the best man at Saleh’s wedding. Were Saleh to backtrack on a plan to stay out of coaching for this season’s remainder, it would make sense for that change of heart to involve the Packers.

The Jets fired Saleh after five games this season. Woody Johnson made the decision, going around GM Joe Douglas to do so. Saleh has remained in touch with interim Jets HC Jeff Ulbrich and would stand, based on his 49ers past and the Jets’ defensive turnaround over the past three seasons, to be a coveted DC candidate come 2025. Saleh, 45, may well stay busy in the meantime.

Some Jets players, per Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline, view Johnson as acting too quickly. As a result of this — and presumably the team’s two losses under Ulbrich — less-than-ideal vibes are present in the locker room. Saleh went 20-36 as Jets HC, though much of that tenure involved QB bust Zach Wilson at the controls. Johnson cited a lack of belief in Saleh’s ability to turn this season around. While Ulbrich and Aaron Rodgers could eventually do so, they have dug a deeper hole since the full-time HC’s firing.

LaFleur said Saleh is working on the offensive side, but the temporary assistant has a history with new Packers DC Jeff Hafley as well. Hafley worked under Saleh as San Francisco’s DBs coach from 2017-18.

Jets GM Joe Douglas Not On Hot Seat?

October 10th, 2024 at 3:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

Robert Saleh‘s firing (or at least the timing of the decision) came as a surprise to many inside the Jets’ organization, and it has led to speculation about further changes being on the horizon. For the time being, though, general manager Joe Douglas appears to be safe.

The 2023 season was marred by offensive struggles, and quarterback Aaron Rodgers‘ Week 1 Achilles tear resulted in ownership giving the franchise’s key decision-makers a mulligan. Five weeks into the current season, Saleh has been dismissed and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett has been stripped of play-calling duties. Plenty of attention will therefore turn to the performances of interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich and passing came coordinator Todd Downing as the season unfolds.

Douglas was among the key personnel who avoided the threat of being fired after last season. Another campaign out of the playoffs would of course result in increased pressure for a front office change, but as things stand one does not appear imminent. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes owner Woody Johnson holds Douglas and Ulbrich in high regard, and they will have a 12-game audition period to create the possibility of remaining as a tandem for next year. As Fowler notes, Douglas’ contract will expire after the 2024 campaign, so his job security could change over the coming weeks.

After a lengthy tenure serving as a Ravens scout, Douglas spent a single season as the Bears’ college scouting director. That was followed by a stint as the VP of player personnel in Philadelphia and then, in 2019, his current position at the helm of the Jets. Douglas’ tenure consists of a 29-59 record with his rebuilding efforts being set back by multiple failed quarterback draft investments. The Rodgers trade acquisition was aimed at immediate contention, but after a 7-10 season (largely without him available) and a 2-3 start to the current campaign, improvement will be needed moving forward to meet that goal.

Fowler reports Johnson had “concerns” about Saleh’s leadership, adding tension was believed to exist between the fourth-year coach and the Jets. While that issue did not rise to the level of a mutiny being possible, players were known to be frustrated by the team’s consistent struggles on offense. Johnson was serving as the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom when Saleh was hired, a factor which no doubt impacted his thought process before singularly deciding to replace him with Ulbrich.

The latter will be tasked with overseeing improvement on offense with Downing calling plays. Reaching the postseason would help their respective job securities while also boosting Douglas’ chances of remaining in place for a seventh season as general manager.

Robert Saleh Not Planning To Join Another Coaching Staff In 2024

October 9th, 2024 at 11:07am CST by Nikhil Mehta

Despite calls from 49ers fans who want Robert Saleh to return to San Francisco, the now-fired Jets coach has no intention of taking another coaching job during the 2024 season, per Michael Silver of The San Francisco Chronicle.

Instead, Saleh is going on vacation with his family before preparing for the 2025 NFL hiring cycle, when he should be a popular candidate for teams in need of a new defensive coordinator. The Jets’ defense has consistently been one of the best in the league since Saleh’s arrival in 2021, ranking in the top three of points per drive, EPA per play, and success rate allowed, according to ESPN’s Benjamin Solak. That followed a strong stretch as defensive coordinator of the 49ers from 2017 to 2020, which earned Saleh the gig in New York.

Saleh’s firing was so sudden that he did not get a chance to meet with his players before he left the building, per Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz. However, Saleh’s departure from the building has, to a degree, been blown out of proportion by rampant speculation. He was not physically ejected from the Jets’ facility, merely escorted out by security in a common corporate practice, according to Peter Schrager of NFL Network.

Saleh’s defensive pedigree could likely land him a position with another NFL team this season if he wanted it, with the Texans (who employ ex-Saleh staffer DeMeco Ryans as HC) also looming as a natural fit. But the three-plus-year Jets HC seems content to collect the remainder of his 2024 salary from the Jets as he contemplates his future. One year remains on Saleh’s Jets contract, a five-year deal that ended up producing a 20-36 record.

Jets Fire HC Robert Saleh

October 8th, 2024 at 10:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

Coming into the season coaching for his job, Robert Saleh could not do enough to impress Jets ownership. Five games in, the team will go through with an abrupt course change.

The Jets are firing their fourth-year HC, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. This will end an underwhelming tenure for the veteran defensive coach and invite more questions about the franchise’s direction. Saleh will finish his Jets tenure with a 20-36 record. This news comes on the heels of back-to-back losses — to the Broncos and Vikings, dropping the team to 2-3 — and three straight sub-.500 seasons.

[RELATED: Saleh Sought To Reduce Nathaniel Hackett’s Role]

Woody Johnson fired Saleh this morning, blindsiding the HC, according to Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer. This is Johnson’s first in-season firing. The Jets had seen every HC finish a season since 1977; Lou Holtz quit to take an Arkansas HC offer in 1976. The Jets had not fired a coach in-season since Charley Winner in 1975.

Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will be named interim HC, according to NFL Network’s Peter Schrager. Ulbrich has been the Jets’ DC throughout Saleh’s tenure, calling the signals on that side of the ball. Given the scrutiny surrounding OC Nathaniel Hackett, he never stood much of a chance to be named the interim option. Ulbrich has a long runway here, given that 12 games remain.

One season remained on Saleh’s contract, Schefter adds. The Jets largely handcuffed Saleh to megabust Zach Wilson, with that partnership extending beyond Year 2 thanks to Aaron Rodgers‘ Achilles tear four plays into the 2023 season. Ownership gave both Saleh and GM Joe Douglas mulligans for 2023, given the franchise’s Rodgers-dependent plan combusting so early. Saleh, 47, has not inspired much confidence this year, as Rodgers has been viewed as the nerve center for the Jets essentially since his April 2023 arrival. That will continue, and Douglas remains in his GM chair. But the latter remains on the hot seat as well.

Hired after four seasons as 49ers DC, Saleh quickly entered an uphill battle thanks to the Wilson pick. The Jets did not add a veteran backup quarterback in 2021, installing Wilson — a BYU product who broke out during a Cougars season that featured an atypical schedule thanks to COVID-19 — as the unquestioned starter from Day 1. Wilson proved quickly he was not up to the job, and Saleh ended up benching the highly touted prospect three times from 2022-23. Ownership not springing for a better backup option in 2023 — inaction largely traced to Johnson’s refusal to spend due to what the franchise already authorized for Rodgers in terms of trade compensation and cash — left Saleh with Wilson for much of last season, leading to a 7-10 record.

Saleh, however, repaired the Jets’ defense early during his run. After a 4-13 2021 squad finished last in both points and yards allowed, the Jets rocketed to fourth place in both categories in 2022. Last season, the Jets finished 12th in scoring and third in yardage defensively. Wilson held this operation back, but Saleh did not do much to confirm he was right to lead the team.

From making comments about Wilson being the best QB option for the Jets (despite having benched him for Tim Boyle) last season to being put on the podium to answer questions about Rodgers and Haason Reddick‘s minicamp absences (for which both were fined, with Reddick never reporting following a March trade), Saleh did not exactly convey strong leadership. Reports of veteran unrest surrounding the HC’s defenses of Wilson emerged at multiple points during Saleh’s tenure as well.

The Jets shipped Wilson to Denver this offseason, signing Tyrod Taylor. But Rodgers has largely not looked his MVP self upon return from his injury, either. This has put Hackett under fire, as the former Broncos HC has gone through a disastrous stretch since his Green Bay run ended. Despite this, Hackett remains in place as the Jets’ play-caller; New York’s offense ranks 23rd in DVOA, 25th in points and 27th in yardage.

The Rodgers trade cranked up the heat on Saleh and Douglas, as the Jets hoped to pair a well-built defense with a four-time MVP. New York’s defense exited Week 5 ranked fifth in scoring and second in yardage, hence Ulbrich’s opportunity over Rodgers’ preferred OC, but friction also appeared to be developing between Saleh and the QB.

Rodgers memorably shoved Saleh away as the HC attempted to embrace the QB on the sideline during a Jets Week 3 win over the Patriots. A loss to the Broncos a week later led Saleh to suggest Rodgers change his cadence, as the team committed five false start penalties. Rodgers bristled at that suggestion, saying the team instead needed to hold players accountable.

Rodgers’ 11th-hour endorsement of Saleh, downplaying the friction, did not do much good. The quarterback, whom a January report pegged as having an outsized influence in the Jets organization, will now work with Ulbrich while continuing to plug away in Hackett’s offense. The Jets had made a backchannel effort to install a veteran assistant to help Hackett after a rough 2023 (which followed the embattled coordinator’s woeful one-and-done as Broncos HC). Saleh had expressed reservations about Hackett last season but kept the Rodgers-backed OC as his offensive play-caller.

It is also worth noting that Woody Johnson did not hire Saleh. Christopher Johnson, who served as acting owner during his brother’s ambassadorial stint, hired him. When Saleh was hired in January 2021, Woody was finishing up a tenure as the country’s UK ambassador under then-president Donald Trump. Christopher also hired Douglas in 2019, and the GM will likely need a quick turnaround to avoid an ouster of his own.

Ulbrich, 47, coached at the Senior Bowl this year and received interest from the 49ers. The NFC West team sought to interview Ulbrich for its DC vacancy; Ulbrich played his entire NFL career with the 49ers. Saleh blocked the interview, as teams are permitted for contracted assistants regarding lateral moves. Now, Ulbrich will take a crack at filling Saleh’s post, as this Jets regime attempts to prevent full-scale change.

Ulbrich worked as Falcons linebackers coach from 2015-18, overlapping with former Saleh boss Kyle Shanahan during part of that tenure. The ex-Dan Quinn staffer moved into Atlanta’s DC role in 2020, when Raheem Morris took over as Falcons interim boss. Saleh, as ESPN.com’s Jeff Darlington points out, is the third HC over the past 10 years to be fired in the wake of a London loss; he joins ex-Dolphins and Raiders leaders Joe Philbin and Dennis Allen in that regard.

By being retained for Year 4, Saleh joined a select few modern HCs in surviving after three consecutive sub-.500 seasons. Only six HCs have managed to last into Year 4 without a .500 season in their first three years this century. Dom Capers (Texans), Mike Nolan (49ers), Jeff Fisher (Rams), Gus Bradley (Jaguars) and Jon Gruden (Raiders 2.0) are the other club members.

Despite the Jets having a chance to claim the AFC East lead Monday night against the Bills, Saleh will not have a chance to see a turnaround through. It will not be hard to see Saleh, after the Jets’ defensive performance since 2022 and based on the 49ers defense’s ascent on his watch, earning a DC opportunity in 2025. But he is out of a job in New York. Now, the Douglas watch begins.

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