Jets owner: Decision to fire Saleh ‘mine alone’

• Rich Cimini, ESPN Staff WriterOct 8, 2024, 10:12 AM ET

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  Rich Cimini is a staff writer who covers the New York Jets and the NFL at ESPN. Rich has covered the Jets for over 30 years, joining ESPN in 2010. Rich also hosts the Flight Deck podcast. He previously was a beat writer for the New York Daily News and is a graduate of Syracuse University. You can follow him via Twitter @RichCimini.

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Upset by the team’s 2-3 start, Jets owner Woody Johnson made a stunning and unprecedented move Tuesday morning, firing coach Robert Saleh and naming defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich as the interim head coach.

Johnson, with his first in-season coaching change in 25 years of ownership, said he consulted with general manager Joe Douglas, but he called it “my decision and mine alone.” Woody Johnson and his brother, Christopher Johnson, the vice chairman, broke the news to Saleh in his office at the team facility.

Saleh was shocked, sources said. He was escorted to his car by the director of security, a source confirmed, in what was described as protocol.

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“This is probably the best team I’ve had in 25 years,” Johnson said on a conference call with reporters. “I just felt that the best way to go forward was a new direction. Taking Jeff Ulbrich and making him the interim head coach, I thought that would get the most out of this team and give us the best chance that we all want to have, which is going to the playoffs.”

Saleh, who promised multiple championships when he was hired in 2021, finished with a 20-36 record and no playoff appearances. The Jets have a 13-year playoff drought, the longest active drought in the NFL, but they began the season with Super Bowl expectations, in large part because of quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

The Jets’ Week 4 loss to the Broncos shook the organization. The next day, the Johnsons and team president Hymie Elhai expressed their concerns to Saleh in a meeting, according to multiple sources. In a sense, Saleh was coaching for his job on Sunday in London, where the Jets dropped their second straight game — a 23-17 loss to the undefeated Vikings.

“It’s not just the last two games that has precipitated this decision; it’s a longer time frame,” Johnson said. “I’ve had a couple years to think about this, and, yeah, I just think we can do better. The team can do better as we have this new leadership.”

Ulbrich, in a midafternoon video conference with reporters, described the change as “four hours of craziness.” He addressed the entire team Tuesday, saying his message to the players was, “It’s time to lock arms.”

He has some big decisions to make in the next 24 hours as the Jets begin preparations for Monday night against the Bills. The biggest one involves embattled offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, who could be stripped of his playcalling duties. Ulbrich was noncommittal, though he did say he would consult with Rodgers. A source confirmed that Saleh was prepared to demote Hackett, only to be fired himself just minutes later.

“I do not see changes in, necessarily, titles and positions,” Ulbrich said. “As far as responsibilities and the process itself, we’re going to take a hard look at that.”

That includes whether Ulbrich will relinquish his defensive playcalling to another coach on staff.

The struggles on offense, in particular, have pained Johnson. Sources said he forced Saleh to change offensive coordinators after the 2022 season, replacing Mike LaFleur with Hackett. The Jets traded for Rodgers, who, after missing nearly the entire 2023 season with a torn Achilles, has failed to elevate the unit this season.

Addressing the offense, Johnson said, “I think one of the reasons that I decided to make a coaching change at the highest level is exactly that. We need to find ways to win, and so we’re not going to find those ways by doing the same thing over and over and over.”

Under Saleh, the Jets started six quarterbacks — Zach Wilson (33 games), Mike White (7), Rodgers (6), Joe Flacco (5), Trevor Siemian (3) and Tim Boyle (2).

“We’ve been underperforming for whatever the reason, and we’re going to take a hard look at all of it,” Ulbrich said, speaking of the entire team.

“I really believe, we lock arms, we commit to the process that we put in place, and we will have success. We will,” Ulbrich added.

Despite the Sept. 30 meeting with Saleh and team brass, there was a sense in the organization that Johnson would wait a few weeks before making any major changes if the losing continued. On Monday, Saleh expressed confidence that they’d get it turned around, telling reporters, “I’m not panicked. Nobody in the building is panicked.”

Still, there were signs of locker room grumbling after the loss in London.

“I’m going to be honest, people get tired of hearing the same s—,” linebacker Quincy Williams told SNY. “People have to take accountability from the top to the bottom. That’s all I have to say … people have to start taking accountability. I’m tired of saying the same thing every week.”

Johnson said Rodgers had no input into the coaching change. He said he spoke to Rodgers after Sunday’s game, claiming Saleh’s status or a potential move wasn’t discussed. There had been speculation of a rift between Saleh and Rodgers, dating to Saleh’s decision to fine the four-time MVP for taking a vacation to Egypt during the mandatory minicamp. Publicly, both men denied any friction in their relationship.

Despite the two-game losing streak, the Jets are only one game out of first place in the AFC East. Their game against the Bills (3-2) is for a share of the division lead.

Ulbrich, 47, a former longtime 49ers linebacker, was hired by Saleh as the defensive coordinator in 2021. Under Ulbrich and Saleh, the Jets have emerged as a perennial top-five defense. Ulbrich, a Pete Carroll disciple known for his energy and upbeat personality, has no previous head-coaching experience.

An October firing isn’t unprecedented in the NFL. In 2022, the Panthers fired Matt Rhule after Week 5. Lane Kiffin was fired by the Raiders after Week 4 in 2008. The only team in Super Bowl era to make the playoffs in the same season after changing coaches was the 2021 Raiders, who promoted Rich Bisaccia to replace Jon Gruden. In that case, Gruden resigned after a report that he used anti-gay, misogynistic language used in emails.

Johnson has employed seven full-term head coaches in his tenure.

“I’ve had enough experience doing these things,” he said. “It’s the first time I’ve done it this early, but … I thought — and think — that this will help the team, help this talented team achieve the goals that the team wants, and that I want, and the fans want.”

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