Robert Saleh, the former New York Jets coach, is out of his job due to the team’s inability to perform. A report from The Athletic suggests that Saleh targeted high-profile offensive figures during the offseason, including Eric Bieniemy, Kliff Kingsbury, Luke Getsy, and Arthur Smith. However, all four coaches took different jobs, with Saleh’s role unavailable in New York due to Nathaniel Hackett’s presence. Saleh was reportedly unwilling to fire Hackett, possibly due to his friendship with Aaron Rodgers.
Former Jets head coach Robert Saleh attempted to recruit multiple offensive coaches during the offseason, as reported by Dianna Russini for The Athletic. “The Jets spoke to Eric Bieniemy (now UCLA’s offensive coordinator), Kliff Kingsbury (now the Commanders’ offensive coordinator), Luke Getsy (now the Raiders’ offensive coordinator) and Arthur Smith (now the Steelers’ offensive coordinator),” Russini reported Saturday. She added that, “it proved too difficult to make an addition since [Saleh] didn’t have an ‘offensive coordinator’ title to offer.”
The Jets fired Saleh after a 2-3 start to the 2024 NFL season. Saleh had planned to remove Hackett from play-calling duties before his ouster, but interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich took that step. New York was in a serious corner, as Johnson maintained he didn’t consult with Rodgers before deciding to fire Saleh. Keeping Hackett while firing Saleh only strengthened the perception that the four-time MVP was wielding significant influence behind the scenes.
Russini highlighted that appointing passing game coordinator Todd Downing to the Jets’ play sheet won’t significantly alter their offensive process. Rodgers continues to modify play-calling, and Saleh is not entirely responsible for the Jets’ disappointing 2023 season or start. Russini’s report suggests Saleh was working with one hand tied behind his back since the Jets tied their fate to Rodgers.
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