Robert Saleh did not expect to be fired by the New York Jets on Tuesday morning. The 45-year-old head coach was also escorted out of the team facility after the surprise ouster, which did not happen with his predecessor.
Needless to say, it was a chaotic morning in Florham Park, New Jersey.
Woody Johnson decided to give Saleh the boot after a 2-3 start to begin the 2024 NFL season. He believes the Jets are in position to win right now, and a sudden change of leadership is his response to frustrating losses to the Vikings and Broncos in back-to-back weeks. There is no legitimate or sourced indication that Aaron Rodgers had a direct role in the decision despite theories that are out there. It was the owner’s call.
Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will serve as the interim head coach for an undisclosed amount of time. Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett will keep his job— for now. Saleh is gone.
— New York Jets (@nyjets) October 8, 2024
Even though a talented New York team has struggled through five games, nobody expected Saleh to be fired in this way at this time. According to NFL insider Jay Glazer, that includes the man who lost his job.
Just talked to Robert Saleh, who said was blindsided by Woody Johnson walking to his office and letting him go. Certainly disappointed he wasn’t going to be given the opportunity to get things going with what he said is a very good roster.
— Jay Glazer
That’s brutal.
Robert Saleh had a rough Tuesday.
Saleh showed up to the team facility expecting to go about his day as planned. He was called into Johnson’s office upon arrival and presumably expected a heart-to-heart about the current state of the organization. Based on Glazer’s report, he did not think the conversation would result in his ouster.
To make the entire thing even more uncomfortable, Mike Florio said Robert Saleh was escorted out of the building by the Jets’ director of security. That did not happen when Adam Gase was fired. Awkward.
UPDATE: WE HAVE A SOURCE OFF!
I'm told by multiple sources that Robert Saleh was not ushered out of the team's facility by security. #Jets
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) October 8, 2024
Saleh was hired on Jan. 14, 2021. He has been there for almost four years and, just like that, he’s gone.
New York strong-armed him out of the door in a hurry.
The director of security — on Johnson’s orders — reportedly did not allow him to speak to the players. He was not allowed to gather his belongings. All of the things in his office will be mailed to his house.
Getting fired really doesn’t get much more demoralizing than that.