New York Jets Star Defender ‘Inspired’ by Interim Head Coach’s Leadership

The New York Jets need this young defensive star to play like he has all season for the team to contend under Jeff Ulbrich.

Sep 29, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner (1) tackles Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin (38) during the first half at MetLife Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The move to fire Robert Saleh and install Jeff Ulbrich as the interim head coach was designed to try and jolt the New York Jets out of a two-game losing streak.

Owner Woody Johnson said that this team had the most talent the Jets had ever had under his ownership, which goes back nearly a quarter of a century. But Johnson said he saw the season slipping away and wanted to make a move now to give the team a chance to turn things around.

Enter Ulbrich, who has been New York’s defensive coordinator since Saleh arrived in 2021.

He’s a coach that some NFL people believe has been tracking toward becoming a head coach one day. Now he gets a 12-game audition to prove that he's the right voice to lead the Jets into the future — or to lead another team that has an opening this offseason.

Ulbrich certainly has the respect of the Jets’ defensive players. It is one of the best units in the NFL and it will need to have a great game if New York expects to beat the Buffalo Bills on Monday night.

At least one of his young defenders is impressed with how the new coach is handling his new responsibility, according to ESPN.

"I was talking to him before practice,” Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner said. “I was just telling him, 'Man, the way you're taking this on, you inspire me. You motivate me.' It was a sudden change, and he was prepared for it."

Gardner is right about the sudden change. Few insiders or outsiders saw it coming. Johnson said on Tuesday he made the decision alone and with little consultation with general manager Joe Douglas.

Saleh arrived at the team facility on Tuesday prepared to demote offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett from play-calling duties and to install Jeff Downing in that position. A few minutes after he arrived, he was fired.

That was Ulbrich’s first major decision. When he spoke to the media on Tuesday after the announcement, he said figuring out who would call the offense was his first job.

"We're going to take a deep dive on that. We're going to look at all possibilities," he said.

The next day he did exactly what Saleh was reportedly expected to do. Downing will call plays on Monday night.

The 47-year-old interim head coach will continue to call signals on defense, which is likely music to the ears of Gardner and his fellow defenders, who are comfortable with how he coordinates and calls the scheme.

The Jets have had success defensively against Buffalo at home the past two meeting, as they’ve forced quarterback Josh Allen into five interceptions. New York won both games.