The sports media’s wildest reactions to the Jets’ firing of Robert Saleh

The New York Jets made a bold and unexpected move when they released Robert Saleh on Tuesday, just five games into the 2024 season. And as expected, it put the sports media on Defcon 1 alert.

Jets owner Woody Johnson had never fired a coach in the middle of the season before, not even Adam Gase. But a 2-3 start and sky-high expectations with a healthy but aging Aaron Rodgers and a stout defense left no room for error. Saleh had made a lot of mistakes and was certainly under pressure, but his seat went from warm to blazing hot in no time.

The suddenness of the shooting and the fact that it was played so early in the season after barely a month gave the sports media plenty of ammunition and a wide range of theories about how to respond.

The first port of call is, of course, Aaron Rodgers Conspiracy Land, as it is believed that the aging quarterback is pulling the strings and was instrumental in Saleh’s firing. After all, there was that awkward non-hug and some interesting news from the press conference a few weeks ago.

Dan Le Batard, who has often mocked Rodgers’ conspiracies in the past, was happy to stake out this territory for himself just minutes after the news broke. However, it’s worth noting that Rodgers confidant Nathaniel Hackett didn’t get the interim job replacing Robert Saleh, instead moving to defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich.

“There was a power struggle in New York, and your quarterback just won it. They turned the entire organization over to (Aaron Rodgers).” – Dan on what it means for the Jets to fire Robert Saleh.

📺 pic.twitter.com/E4JMJTitI5

— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) October 8, 2024

Of course, that wasn’t all when it came to Rodgers-related reactions to the Saleh news.

Aaron Rodgers is close to hiring RFK as the Jets’ head coach

– KFC (@KFCBarstool) October 8, 2024

What a stroke of luck for Pat McAfee, who gets to interview Aaron Rodgers within hours about why he fired Robert Saleh.

— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) October 8, 2024

Then there was the delicious irony in the calls for Bill Belichick to return to coach the Jets, in an incredible full-circle moment after Belichick resigned after one day in 2000. For those who may not remember their old NFL history, Belichick was poised to succeed Bill Parcells in New York as head coach and then resigned to take the job in New England, where the Jets eventually got a first-round pick. Pick handed over to the Pats. Belichick won six Super Bowls with the Patriots, while the Jets remained the Jets.

Bill Belichick is coming to the Jets soon 👀 pic.twitter.com/veZwXHkQDl

— DraftKings (@DraftKings) October 8, 2024

I know this will probably never happen because Bill Belichick hates the Jets, but I think Woody Johnson needs to at least make the call. The chance to coach Aaron Rodgers, whom Belichick admires, on a win-now team, combined with Woody’s money, could smooth things over.…

– Gary Myers (@GaryMyersNY) October 8, 2024

Everyone always says that Bill Belichick wouldn’t coach the team because he hates the Jets, but doesn’t hating the Jets mean you’re a true Jets fan?

— Kevin Clark (@bykevinclark) October 8, 2024

Then there were the live reactions on First Take, which included Adam Schefter calling from his car and Stephen A. Smith dropping a bombshell from an unnamed comedian friend who said Woody Johnson was “Donald Sterling without the racism.” “ according to Robert Saleh was canned.

Stephen A. Smith shares a quote from a fellow Hollywood comedian on First Take after the Jets fired Robert Saleh.

“Woody Johnson is Donald Sterling without the racism.” pic.twitter.com/sA2BYr7hXn

– Awful Announcement (@awfulanncreasing) October 8, 2024

If this all happened just minutes after Saleh was fired, who knows what the rest of the day and week will bring. When Aaron Rodgers does his Tuesday interview with Pat McAfee, it could be a historic day of content on the Internet.