Aaron Rodgers couldn’t fire himself. And certainly, the declining New York Jets quarterback has no desire to abandon his coordinator friend Nathaniel Hackett.
Still Robert Saleh? Roadkill.
The Jets fired Saleh as coach on Tuesday, just five games into his fourth season, sparking an October surprise. Admittedly, Saleh’s 20-36 record is not the ideal defensive measure (pun intended) for his viability as a coach.
But this smells hopeless. And somehow, that goes back to the quarterback the Jets were hoping to bring back to the NFL’s promised land.
Of course, it was team owner Woody Johnson, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom, who officially retracted Saleh’s comments, and who was the first to comment on the Jets’ most recent game, a 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Jets in London on Sunday. I was definitely confused. Vikings.
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Johnson explained at a press conference: Change brings new energy and positivity. ”
Mr Johnson claimed he spoke to Mr Rodgers on Monday night but did not specifically discuss Mr Saleh. He also spoke with general manager Joe Douglas and insisted it was ultimately his decision. Maybe so.
But I doubt Johnson (who has never fired a coach in the middle of a season during his 25-year ownership reign) won’t make the move unless Rodgers buys into a drastic change. I am guessing that it is. After all, the Jets have been operating under some serious A-Rod rules for a while. I think this also explains why Hackett, who ranks 27th in the NFL in total yards per unit, has continued to work while Saleh has been left out.
Hackett’s tenure as coach of the Denver Broncos was short-lived in 2022, but he has a chance to revive his career by reuniting with Rodgers, who he worked with in Green Bay. And look what happened. The plan backfired. But given that Rodgers had Johnson’s ear, there’s no doubt he wasn’t jumping up and down on the proverbial table in support of Saleh.
What a mess. Saleh, a defensive player, will leave behind a championship-caliber defensive unit that ranks second in the NFL. With defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich promoted to interim coach, the talented defense should continue to flourish.
No, defense has never been an issue for the Jets, and it probably won’t be an issue next year even if Johnson hires Bill Belichick as his next coach.
But Saleh appears to be paying the price for not winning big despite having the so-so privilege of having a Hall of Fame quarterback. The Jets gave him a new O-line coach, Rodgers and his hand-picked coordinator, and added elite pass rusher Haason Reddick this year — well, edge rusher is still the dominant player, theoretically anyway. Because they were–and they still are. You get the same terrible results.
So, given the huge investment in Rodgers and, well, Saleh’s inability to get a big win with him, on earth he’s supposed to be undefeated right now? – It goes back to the quarterback in some way. Despite the ugly result in London, it makes no sense to make this move now. Maybe that awkward body language and icy stare Rodgers gave Saleh during the win over the New England Patriots was actually indicative of tension between coach and quarterback. In particular, Johnson talks about “positive energy.”
Either way, the Jets’ dysfunction strikes again. The offense is a mess, so let’s keep it as is. Hardly logical. Rodgers, who returned in 2023 from a torn Achilles tendon that ruined his debut season, does not resemble the four-time MVP the team negotiated for him in a trade with the Green Bay Packers. Instead, the 40-year-old car shows significant rust. The rhythm that had defined his game for so long was gone. Sunday, he threw three picks and came up empty on a last-gasp drive.
Rogers isn’t alone. The Jets are last in the league in rushing yards with 402 and average just 3.6 yards per carry. The O-line does not clear a path for daylight to enter the trenches, nor does it provide a consistent fortress of defense that blocks traffic.
something needs to be fixed. And I don’t think it’s a question of Rodgers’ rhythm. Trading disgruntled Las Vegas Raiders receiver Davante Adams could help, but they’ll still need to block and run the ball.
Why dismiss Saleh now? Want to play this season? At 2-3, the Jets are in a position to believe they have an elite defense and at least a legitimate chance to wrest the Buffalo Bills from control of the AFC East. If they can catch fire, they could emerge as a strong contender for the Super Bowl that team owner Johnson envisions. Because defense wins championships, especially when complemented by a stud quarterback.
By firing Mr Saleh, Mr Johnson has gone far out of character. He has certainly had plenty of practice. Let’s see how he moves. In 2020, Johnson had Adam Gase coming off a 2-14 season. In 2018, he didn’t fire Todd Bowles until after a 4-12 campaign. Rex Ryan was similar in 2014, going 4-12. Herm Edwards also went 2-14 in 2005.
But now Johnson has taken a different trajectory with his decision to fire Saleh midway through the season.
Perhaps the franchise quarterback, backed by Hackett, will ignite the resurgence the Jets probably thought would happen by now. Jets fans who have suffered through decades of broken promise after promise would be wiser to hold their breath. Ultimately, it is likely that hopes will be placed in NYJ’s new HC.
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