The news hit like a freight train on a Tuesday morning. Woody Johnson didn't wait for the plane to cool down after a dismal London showing. He just did it. He fired Robert Saleh. For a franchise that usually leaks like a sieve, this one actually caught people off guard because of the timing, not the result. Usually, you get the "vote of confidence" first. Not this time. The NY Jets fire coach Robert Saleh narrative became reality before most fans had finished their first cup of coffee.
It’s a mess. Honestly, there’s no other way to put it. You have a 2-3 record, a 40-year-old quarterback coming off an Achilles tear, and a defense that—while statistically elite—looked like it was starting to crack under the weight of an incompetent offense.
The Breaking Point in London
Why now? People keep asking that. Why not wait until the end of the year? The loss to Minnesota in London was the final straw, but it wasn't just the score. It was the sloppiness. Watching Aaron Rodgers throw three interceptions while the team racked up pre-snap penalties was exhausting. It felt like Groundhog Day. Woody Johnson, who has been notoriously patient (perhaps to a fault) with previous regimes, clearly felt the "win now" window with Rodgers was slamming shut.
You could see the tension on the sidelines for weeks. That awkward non-hug between Saleh and Rodgers? People joked about it, but in hindsight, it looked like two guys living in different ZIP codes emotionally. When a team has this much talent and still manages to look unprepared, the buck stops at the top.
Jeff Ulbrich steps into the fire
Promoting Jeff Ulbrich to interim head coach is the "safe" move, but it’s a weird one. Ulbrich is a defensive guy. The defense isn't the problem. The problem is an offense that looks like it's being run on a dial-up connection in a fiber-optic world. By making this move, Johnson is basically saying, "I trust the locker room to play for Ulbrich," while keeping the pressure squarely on Nathaniel Hackett and Aaron Rodgers to fix the scoring drought.
The Aaron Rodgers Factor
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. Or rather, the quarterback in the room. When the NY Jets fire coach Robert Saleh, the first question everyone asks is: "What did Aaron think?"
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Rodgers denied having a hand in the firing during his subsequent appearance on the Pat McAfee Show. He called the claims "patently false." But in the NFL, perception is reality. Even if Rodgers didn't walk into Woody’s office and demand a pink slip for Saleh, his influence over the organization is total. The Jets built this roster to his specifications. They hired his friends. They brought in his preferred receivers. When the results didn't follow, Saleh became the easiest variable to remove from the equation.
It’s a massive gamble. If the Jets turn it around and make a playoff run, Woody looks like a genius who saw the rot and cut it out early. If they keep losing? Then it proves the problem wasn't the guy in the headset, but the guy under center and the culture that allowed him to call the shots.
A History of Coaching Carousel Pain
Jets fans are tired. Seriously. Since Rex Ryan left, this team has been a graveyard for coaching careers.
- Todd Bowles had one good year, then stalled.
- Adam Gase was... well, let’s not even go there.
- Robert Saleh brought "All Gas, No Brake," but the car never really left the driveway.
Saleh finished his tenure with a 20-36 record. That’s objectively bad. You can point to the Zach Wilson era as a handicap, and it was, but great coaches find ways to win ugly games. Saleh’s Jets found ways to lose beautiful ones. The defense was championship-caliber, ranking in the top three in various metrics over the last two seasons. But a head coach is responsible for the whole team, not just his favorite side of the ball.
The Offensive Identity Crisis
The most damning part of the Saleh era was the lack of an offensive identity. It was always "next week we’ll get it right." But next week never came. Even with Rodgers, the offense looked stagnant. They couldn't run the ball effectively despite having Breece Hall. They couldn't protect the passer. The play-calling felt predictable. When you have a defensive coach, you need a "head coach of the offense" who can run that side of the building autonomously. Nathaniel Hackett hasn't been that guy, yet Saleh couldn't or wouldn't make a change there. That loyalty might have been what ultimately cost him his job.
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What Most People Get Wrong About This Firing
The common narrative is that this was a snap decision based on one bad game in the UK. That’s rarely how it works at this level. This was a slow burn. Sources close to the team had been whispering about a "disconnect" for months. There were reports that Saleh was considering stripping play-calling duties from Hackett, a move that surely would have ruffled Rodgers' feathers.
Did Woody Johnson jump the gun to protect his star QB? Maybe. But you also have to look at the schedule. The Jets have a stretch of winnable games coming up. If you're going to make a move, you do it before the season is mathematically over. You do it when there’s still a glimmer of hope that a new voice can spark a 10-7 finish.
The Next Steps for the New York Jets
So, where do they go from here? The search for a permanent replacement won't officially heat up until the offseason, but the shortlist is already forming in everyone's mind.
Ben Johnson (Lions OC): He’s the belle of the ball. Every team wants him. He’s turned Jared Goff into a top-tier producer and runs a creative, aggressive offense.
Bobby Slowik (Texans OC): Another young, bright offensive mind.
Mike Vrabel: If the Jets want a "culture setter" who won't be intimidated by big personalities, Vrabel is the guy. He’s a winner who knows how to manage a locker room.
But before they hire someone new, they have to survive the rest of this season. Jeff Ulbrich has to prove he can manage the clock, handle the media, and somehow inspire an offense that has looked lifeless for years.
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Practical Realities for Fans
If you're a fan or a bettor, don't expect a magical transformation overnight. The roster is still the roster. The offensive line is still aging. However, keep an eye on the "interim coach bump." Teams often play with a renewed sense of urgency the week after a firing. They're playing for their own jobs now.
Watch the penalties. If the Jets suddenly stop beating themselves with foolish mistakes, it’ll be a direct indictment of Saleh’s discipline.
Watch the body language. See how Rodgers interacts with Ulbrich. That will tell you everything you need to know about the power dynamic in Florham Park.
The decision to have the NY Jets fire coach Robert Saleh mid-season is a desperate play by an owner who is tired of losing. It’s a "Hail Mary" in October. Whether it lands in the end zone or results in another turnover remains to be seen, but the status quo was no longer an option.
Moving Forward
The Jets find themselves at a crossroads that will define the next decade of the franchise. To navigate this, the organization must prioritize three things immediately:
- Empower Ulbrich to lead: The interim tag can be a kiss of death if the owner or the QB continues to micromanage. Ulbrich needs the authority to bench underperforming veterans, even if they're "Rodgers' guys."
- Simplify the Offensive Scheme: The current playbook seems to require a level of synchronization that this line and these receivers haven't mastered. Go back to basics. Run the ball. Use play-action. Stop trying to be "genius" and just be efficient.
- Audit the Strength and Conditioning: The Jets have been decimated by injuries for years. Is it bad luck, or is there a systemic issue in how they prepare? A new coach needs to bring in a fresh perspective on player health.
The Robert Saleh era is over. It was a time of elite defensive play and offensive frustration. Now, the Jets are betting that the problem was the leadership, not the components. We’re about to find out if they were right.