Robert Saleh had a heartfelt message for the New York Jets organization, following his unexpected firing on Tuesday.
Two days after the Jets lost 23-17 to the Minnesota Vikings in London, Robert Saleh was relieved of his duties as head coach. Jeff Ulbrich, who had been Saleh’s defensive coordinator with the Jets since 2021, was named the interim head coach.
Though his firing was stunning and widely panned by countless fans and critics (many believe quarterback Aaron Rodgers played a hand in it), Saleh kept it classy and wholesome with his goodbye message to the organization.
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Robert Saleh shared the following statement one day following his split from the Jets:
“To the Jets Organization, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with so many incredible people. I will always be appreciative of the love and support from everyone at 1 Jets Drive.
To all of the players, I truly love and appreciate every single one of you. The character of the men in the locker room made coaching you guys the ultimate privilege. Through all the ups and downs, each and every one of you showed up everyday and attacked every moment.
To my fellow coaches and staff, it has been an honor to work with all of you. Every one of you were “all in” and made sacrifices for one another that will never be forgotten. I wish you all the very best of luck for the remainder of the season.
To the most passionate fan base in the NFL, thank you for embracing my family. It has been a pleasure calling New York our home and we will forever appreciate all of the memories that were created here. With Love and Regard, All Gas No Brake!!!”
Saleh finishes with a record of 20-36-0 as head coach of the Jets. After going 4-13 in his first year, Saleh guided the team to consecutive 7-10 finishes, which is impressive considering the quarterback play.
Statement from Robert Saleh:
“To the Jets Organization, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with so many incredible people. I will always be appreciative of the love and support from everyone at 1 Jets Drive.
To all of the players, I truly love and appreciate… pic.twitter.com/I4n9zYhKFd
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 9, 2024
His firing was largely surprising because teams with Super Bowl aspirations hardly fire a coach this early in the year. Coaches are usually only fired in the middle of the season if their team is near the bottom of the standings and out of the playoff race.
Robert Saleh’s first game as #Jets HC:
Lost to Sam Darnold and the PanthersRobert Saleh’s final game as #Jets HC:
Lost to Sam Darnold and the Vikings pic.twitter.com/m7UH3PktHV— Dylan (@nyjetsfansonly) October 8, 2024
It’s also easy to theorize that Rodgers was a key factor in Saleh’s firing. Their relationship never seemed that strong to begin with, and the Jets catered to the four-time MVP by signing plenty of former Green Bay Packers and keeping Nathaniel Hackett on as the offensive coordinator.
Robert Saleh Won’t Be Out Of Coaching For Long
His tenure with the Jets didn’t culminate in any winning seasons, but Saleh lived up to his reputation as a defensive mastermind. He turned New York’s D into one of football’s best, a clear reminder that he wasn’t a product of the Kyle Shanahan coaching system.
If he’s not hired by another team this season, expect Saleh to be a hot defensive coordinator candidate around the league in the new year.
