The New York Jets made the surprising move of firing head coach Robert Saleh on Tuesday, sparking speculation that quarterback Aaron Rodgers may have his way.
Surprisingly, the Jets fired offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett despite ranking sixth in yards per game (286.6) and eighth in points per game (18.6) on offense this season. I haven’t.
Hackett was the head coach of the Denver Broncos in 2022, but was fired with two games remaining that season. He had 4 wins and 11 losses for the Broncos.
Denver fans and pundits were surprised by New York’s decision to do Saleh a favor and keep Hackett. Here’s a sample of how Broncos Country responded to the news on Twitter/X on Tuesday.
Remember when people got mad about this? https://t.co/vKTT8JuCH9
โ Joe Rowles (@JoRo_NFL) October 8, 2024
Sean Payton has never lied https://t.co/mhFamJR0bc pic.twitter.com/7xF58UKVWv
โ Michael ๐ฒ๐ฝ (@RespectMyCos) October 8, 2024
https://t.co/lslznZbqnd pic.twitter.com/vLOstnBvCC
โ Denver Broncos 365 (@DailyBroncos) October 8, 2024
If Nathaniel Hackett is still calling the plays, what exactly will happen if Robert Saleh is fired mid-year? They know this issue is offensive, right?
โ Joey Richards (@LTB_Joey) October 8, 2024
They fired the wrong guy https://t.co/CWVT5RXzwT
โ Nate Jackson (@NathanSerious) October 8, 2024
Who is really in charge of the Jets? pic.twitter.com/vLuUo3rkFI
โ Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) October 8, 2024
Trevor Siemian is the only Jets QB with a winning record under Saleh. Way to go, Trevor. Let’s break the expectations. pic.twitter.com/Se8ww3Rvxo
โ Total Fandom (@TotalFandom) October 8, 2024
Jets new coaching staff
Head Coach: RFK
OC: Aaron Rodgers
DC: Alex Jones
Strength + Conditioning: Joe Rogan
O-line coach: Kyle Rittenhouse
Communications Director: Elon Musk
Head of PR: Tucker Carlson
Scout: Ben Shapiro, Tomi Lahren, Candace Owens
โ KFC (@KFCBarstool) October 8, 2024
New York Jets’ next coach: pic.twitter.com/Z9HR02HsYR
โ Football (@BostonConnr) October 8, 2024
The Berry Jets are firing a defensive-minded head coach who has played well on defense but retained an OC who hasn’t been very good over the past year and a half. pic.twitter.com/kDLFr4h1p0
โ MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) October 8, 2024
https://t.co/i0iGB3yukW pic.twitter.com/J0RSefOl0t
โ Ian St Clair (@IanStClair) October 8, 2024
Well, you won’t have to worry about the Jets any time soon https://t.co/l4mI6tv77v
โ ๐ฑ๐พ๐ถ๐ถ๐ธ๐ฝ๐ (@Mr_Boggins) October 8, 2024
Just not a serious owner. Michael Scott is still running the offense, but I don’t know what this will change https://t.co/BBpR6Mk85Y
โ Charles (โSounds goodโ โ Andy Reid) McDonald (@FourVerts) October 8, 2024
โ Sayre Bedinger (@SayreBedinger) October 8, 2024
Nathaniel Hackett watches Saleh get canned while continuing to ‘run’ one of the worst attacks in football pic.twitter.com/5vppIuuA0C
โ Daniel Harms๐ (@InHarmsWay19) October 8, 2024
Nathaniel Hackett heard that Robert Saleh was fired, but was somehow retained as offensive coordinator. pic.twitter.com/A9FkwbperT
โ TheOGfantasyfootball (@TheOGfantasy) October 8, 2024
If Vance Joseph gets the head coaching job ๐๐๐ https://t.co/1vbbBZnxGg
โ Lindsay Bebout (@lindsaybebout) October 8, 2024
If the Broncos lose Vance Joseph to the head coaching position in 2025, the Broncos’ performance could worsen even further. https://t.co/0yGjrtspaZ
โ Joe Rowles (@JoRo_NFL) October 8, 2024
I think Saleh’s news bodes well for Broncos fans who don’t want to see Denver achieve the current record for longest playoff drought.
โ Zach Segars (@Zach_Segars) October 8, 2024
The Jets will quickly realize that firing Saleh won’t solve the problem.
โ Cody Roark (@CodyRoarkNFL) October 8, 2024
Saleh, 45, is likely to be the top defensive coordinator candidate. This could be notable in Denver if Vance Joseph leaves to take the head coaching job in 2025, but the Broncos have a strong internal candidate in Jim Leonhardt. For now, Joseph remains at DC in Denver while Saleh is a coaching free agent. And Hackett somehow remains the Jets’ OC.
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