New York Jets Boss Speaks on Robert Saleh Firing for First Time

New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas finally got a chance to comment on the firing of the coach he helped hire.

Feb 28, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas speaks at a press conference at the NFL Scouting Combine at Indiana Convention Center. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Everyone knows the decision to fire former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh after five games was the decision of team owner Woody Johnson and his decision alone. He made that clear.

But, up until Wednesday, Jets general manager Joe Douglas hadn’t weighed in on the decision.

But, at Florham Park, Douglas spoke to the local media for the first time since the start of the season and the topic quickly went to the firing of Saleh, which happened after a 2-3 start.

The Jets are now 3-6.

Turns out, Douglas didn’t have much to say.

“I know he (Johnson) spoke afterward and I really don’t have anything to add,” Douglas said. “All I can say is that since the decision was made, all my energy, all my focus has been toward doing whatever I can help get this thing turned around.”

Douglas took over as general manager in 2019 after he spent four years with the Philadelphia Eagles as their vice president of player personnel.

With Douglas the Jets have not had a winning record. Saleh paid the price for that inability to get over .500 and to many Douglas may be next. He’s in the final year of his initial six-year contract.

The 48-year-old doesn’t sound too concerned about the future.

“Whatever happens, happens,” Douglas said.

He also indicated that there is an open line of communication between himself and Johnson.

“He and I talk every day,” Douglas said. “I’m not going to get into details about any of our conversations. My focus is on the Cardinals and trying to improve on this record.”

He believes there is a chance the Jets can rebound from its awful start to the year. After a 2-1 start the Jets lost five straight games — which in part cost Saleh his job — before New York finally snapped it last week with a win over Houston.

Along the way the Jets traded for wide receiver Davante Adams and finally got edge rusher Haason Reddick to end his holdout. Johnson practically begged Reddick to end it the day he fired Saleh.

Douglas knows he’s judged on his record and it doesn’t look good right now. But all he can do, he says, is focus on the next eight games.

"We haven't had a winning season, so we're sitting here at 3-6 and so there's a lot of frustration,” he said. “Obviously, it starts with me, so I can look back and there are quite a few things that I could've done better. Obviously, when a situation that happens like happened four weeks ago (Saleh firing), you have a lot of self-reflective moments on the things you could've done better to keep that from happening. But we've got an opportunity with these last stretch of games to change that narrative."