Robert Saleh Considered Firing OC Nathaniel Hackett Before His Own Ousting from Jets

The former New York coach reportedly was considering moving on from his offensive coordinator amid a 2-3 start to the season.

Former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh considered firing offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett prior to his own firing on Tuesday. / Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh was fired by owner Woody Johnson on Tuesday morning, two days removed from the franchise's 23–17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in London. After a disappointing 2–3 start to the season with what is believed to be a talented roster both offensively and defensively, Johnson chose to move on from Saleh.

While it is a bit surprising that Saleh was given a pink slip on Tuesday, it would have been slightly less surprising for a move to be made at offensive coordinator, as Nathaniel Hackett's unit has struggled and is a key reason for the team's slow start.

In fact, according to a new report from Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Saleh was considering moving on from Hackett before he was fired himself on Tuesday. That move could have come as early as Tuesday.

On Tuesday afternoon, a second report emerged from Connor Hughes of SNY indicating that Saleh was not planning to fire Hackett, but was considering demoting game day responsibilities and turning play calling over to offensive assistant Todd Downing.

Either way, it appears for now that Hackett will keep his job under interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich.

The Jets have been one of the league's worst offenses in 2024 despite having Aaron Rodgers under center and a plethora of playmakers in the running and passing games. New York ranks 27th in offensive yards per game (286.6) and 23rd in points per game (18.6) through the first five games of the season.

The Jets take on the Buffalo Bills in an AFC East matchup on Monday Night Football on Oct. 14.

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