New York Jets Urged To Fire Head Coach Robert Saleh After Loss to Minnesota Vikings

The New York Jets front office faces a tough decision regarding Robert Saleh after their Week 5 loss.
Oct 6, 2024; London, United Kingdom; New York Jets coach Robert Saleh reacts against the Minnesota Vikings in the first half at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Oct 6, 2024; London, United Kingdom; New York Jets coach Robert Saleh reacts against the Minnesota Vikings in the first half at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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The New York Jets have once again lost in disappointing fashion, dropping their Week 5 contest against the Minnesota Vikings, 23-17.

Despite having an all-time great quarterback in Aaron Rodgers, it's been much of the same for the Jets throughout the first five weeks of the season.

The struggles could be placed on many. Rodgers hasn't played as well as many expected, Garrett Wilson finally looked like a competent wide receiver in the loss, and Breece Hall has been beyond disappointing.

When the best three offensive players on New York's roster aren't clicking on all cylinders, they shouldn't expect to find too much success.

Instead, many want to blame the coaching staff, which is a rightful concern.

Nathaniel Hackett has never been a good offensive coordinator. It's questionable why the Jets hired him when they did, but New York hasn't exactly made many right moves over the past decade.

Robert Saleh also has questions he hasn't answered.

If this play continues, although it's already been happening for over two years, something should eventually change. It's uncertain if they'd go through with that, but it's getting to the point where guys have to lose their jobs.

That's what former WFAN host Mike Francesca suggested on Sunday after the Jets' loss to the Vikings.

“It all leads to the same place. You put the offense in the hands of a man [Hackett] who is completely inept,” Francesa said. “I know that despite his lousy record and despite the fact that he has taken this team right down the chute, you can just see it. And I’m telling you, if I were the owner, Saleh wouldn’t be the coach anymore. In-season. I can’t look at it anymore. I just can’t watch the same garbage week in and week out.

“I wouldn’t touch the defensive coordinator [Jeff Ulbrich], I wouldn’t touch his staff, but I would get rid of Saleh ’cause he’s not a head coach anyway. If he wants to be defensive coordinator, he can stay. He can’t be the head coach, he can’t run the team."

While firing coaches isn't always the right decision, and New York has learned that time and time again, Francesca's comments are more than fair.

There's only so much time for them to figure it out. If they want to continue giving their coaching staff the benefit of the doubt, there's a good chance their season might be over before they ever make a change.

They've had an excellent opportunity to win football games throughout the past two weeks, but they've instead done what the Jets have always done: lost games they shouldn't have.


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Jon Conahan
JON CONAHAN

Jon Conahan has been covering all major sports since 2019. He is a 2022 graduate of the Bellisario School of Journalism at Penn State University and previously played D1 baseball.