Robert Saleh, the Jets’ third NFL coach, was fired after the loss in London

Five weeks into the 2024 season, the New York Jets have fired coach Robert Saleh, Jets owner Woody Johnson announced Tuesday. The announcement follows the Jets’ 23-17 loss to the undefeated Minnesota Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Sunday.

The Vikings led throughout, holding New York to 254 yards of offense and racking up three turnovers, including ending a potential game-winning drive in the final minute by intercepting quarterback Aaron Rodgers for the third time. The loss was the Jets’ second (2-3) in as many weeks – and their second loss in London in the last four seasons.

This was the third game the Jets played in London and the second under Saleh. New York won its first appearance in 2015 when the Jets earned a 27-14 victory over the Dolphins at Wembley Stadium in Todd Bowles’ first season leading the team. The Jets finished 10-6 in 2015, their last winning season. Bowles was fired by the Jets after a loss to the New England Patriots in 2018 and is now in his third year as Tampa Bay’s head coach.

New York played at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the first time in 2021, in Saleh’s first season, but never led to a 27-20 loss to the Falcons, part of a four-win season.

pic.twitter.com/ZJ16NOiqBg

– New York Jets (@nyjets) October 8, 2024

According to ESPN Research, Saleh is now the third NFL coach to be fired after a loss in London in the last decade. Former Raiders coach Dennis Allen was sacked following a loss to the Dolphins at Wembley in 2014. Then in 2015, former Miami coach Joe Philbin was fired after a loss to the Jets at Wembley Stadium.

Raiders owner Mark Davis didn’t speak directly to coach Allen on the long flight back from London to Oakland ten years ago. But he was loudly upset about the 38-14 loss to the Dolphins, which dropped the Raiders to 0-4 this season and 8-28 under Allen. Davis reminded coaches and players that he had put them in a real castle – Pennyhill Park – for an entire week to prepare for the game.

When the plane landed and Allen’s family got out and drove home from the airport, Davis fired Allen. He named the late Tony Sparano as interim coach four games into the careers of rookies Khalil Mack and Derek Carr.

The next season the Dolphins returned to Wembley, but lost to the Jets for their third straight loss, leaving them 1-3 heading into a bye week. Miami fired Philbin, who was 24-28 in four seasons with the Dolphins, the following day and named Dan Campbell – now in his fourth season coaching the Lions – as interim head coach.

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The Jets’ loss to the Vikings was the first of three games scheduled to be played this season in London, which has hosted regular season games since 2007.

The Jacksonville Jaguars, who have played 11 games in London since 2013, will play back-to-back games in London over the next two weeks. Jacksonville has won six games in London, including two last season against the Falcons in Week 4 and the Bills in Week 5, beginning a streak of five straight wins for the Jaguars.

The Jaguars (1-4) take on the Bears (3-2) at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday looking to build on their 37-34 Week 5 win over the Colts, which was Jacksonville’s first win of the season. Before beating Indianapolis, Jacksonville was the only remaining winless team in the NFL in 2024. Seven days later, the Jaguars will play the Patriots (1-4) at Wembley Stadium.

It will be the Bears’ third appearance in London. Chicago won its first London competition in 2011 but lost its last in 2019. The Patriots are traveling to Wembley for the third time but first in more than a decade, having won their first two games at the stadium in 2009 and 2012 .

(Photo: Mike Stobe/Getty Images)