Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the New York Jets are firing head coach Robert Saleh on Tuesday. The move comes two days after Aaron Rodgers put up a stinker in London against the Minnesota Vikings. The four-time MVP threw three interceptions, including a pick-six, in the Jets’ 23-17 loss to the Vikings in London.
The loss at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium dropped the Jets to 2-3 on the season.
Aaron Rodgers defended Robert Saleh last week
Before the game against the Vikings, Rodgers gave Saleh the kiss of death when he publicly backed his head coach after a dramatic week where the fourth-year head coach had to recant his criticism of the quarterback’s cadence publicly.
I think there’s some driving force trying to put a wedge [from] outside the facility between Robert and I,” Rodgers said. “We’re really good friends, we enjoy each other. We spend time almost every day in his office talking about things and talking about the energy of the team, focus of the team. What we need to get done, how I can help him out, how he can help me out. So we’ve got a great relationship.”
Saleh’s relationship with the C-Suite in New York was not good after compiling a 20-36 record since 2021. The Jets had failed to rise above third in the AFC East with Saleh as the head coach.
Per Schefter, the Jets will name defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich as the interim head coach. Ulbrich has been the defensive coordinator for New York since the 2021 season. He was the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons in 2020.
Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich is being named the New York Jets interim head coach, per source. pic.twitter.com/3a6SeI9G2r
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 8, 2024
The New York Jets’ risk did not pay off for Saleh
Saleh and the Jets front office took a risk by embarking on a trade for Rodgers in the 2022 offseason. The risk did not pay off for Saleh, who is getting canned after having the Packers’ legend in a green and white unicorn for only six games. (Rodgers suffered an Achilles injury in week 1 of the 2023 season.)
It’s unclear if Rodgers checked off on having his friend fried on Tuesday. However, Rodgers’ poor play to start the season had to play a factor in Saleh’s dismissal from the Jets.
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