Robert Saleh fired by the New York Jets

The New York Jets fired head coach Robert Saleh just five games into the season after a 2-3 start. ESPN’s Adam Schefter was first to report the news this morning. After this season, Saleh still had another year on his contract.

According to NFL Network’s Peter Schrager, Jeff Ulbrich will serve as the Jets’ interim head coach. Ulbrich has been the Jets’ defensive coordinator since 2001. The former San Francisco 49ers linebacker (2000-2009) has coached in the NFL and college football in various defensive roles over the past 14 seasons.

Robert Saleh fired by the New York Jets

The Jets lost to the Minnesota Vikings in London on Sunday, bringing their season record back below .500. While this move feels like a knee-jerk decision, things in New York are apparently far worse than their record suggests.

The Jets mortgaged their future before last season when, after the failed Zack Wilson project, they traded quarterback Aaron Rodgers in a win-now desperation move to fix the quarterback position and things worked out, to say the least, not as planned. Rodgers tore his Achilles last season just minutes after the home opener in New York, and this season he has looked a shell of his former self.

Saleh’s ultimate downfall in New York is the offense and quarterback decision-making, but in his specialty, defense, the Jets have been one of the league’s best units during his tenure.

As of 2021, New York’s defense ranks first in points per drive, first in EPA per game, and third in success rate.

New York will face the Buffalo Bills next Monday evening and then play games against the Steelers, Patriots and Texans in October.