Robert Saleh Fired by Jets amid Aaron Rodgers’ Struggles; Jeff Ulbrich Named Interim

It’s pretty much with everything else where Saleh seemed to struggle.

Before and after Rodgers arrived, the Jets offense has been a disappointment. The franchise has little to collectively show from its investment with the Rodgers trade and the draft picks it has used on Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall, Zach Wilson, Elijah Moore and Denzel Mims, among others.

There was a sense around the team the coach was a little too quick to lean on Rodgers’ season-ending Achilles injury as a catch-all excuse for its losing record. Players and coaches also “grew tired of the way Saleh fawned over Rodgers,” per Rosenblatt and Russini.

The one revelation fans probably remembered most was Saleh’s reaction to comments from Rodgers about internal matters getting leaked out to reporters.

“The coach held a meeting with his staff two days later where he asked the leaker to reveal himself, according to multiple people in attendance, Rosenblatt and Russini reported. ‘If you come forward now, you won’t get in trouble,’ he told them while threatening to take their cell phones. Staffers were bemused by Saleh’s obsession with the Wilson story and his reaction to it.”

Was Saleh going to be the coach who got the Jets over the top with more time? Probably not.

Is there another coach who can achieve that goal with New York’s current roster? Also probably not.

That’s by and large due to the fact the front office went all in on Rodgers, only to have the gamble backfire spectacularly.

Through five starts, the four-time MVP looks like a 40-year-old quarterback who’s coming off a major Achilles injury. He has thrown for 1,093 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions and has an 81.6 passer rating.

Beyond the practical on-field concerns, firing Saleh will only strengthen the perception Rodgers is the single most influential voice within the organization, which is to the Jets’ detriment.