NFL Coaches on Hot Seat Before 2024 Season Starts | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
Isabella Ramos
Published Mar 23, 2026
The Robert Saleh era hasn't gone how the New York Jets hoped it would when they lured him away from his position as the San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator in 2021.
Although Saleh's expertise has been a boon for Gang Green following a rough start—the team has ranked in the top-five for total defense each of the last two seasons after finishing dead-last during his first year on the job—the Jets simply haven't been able to execute on the other side of the ball.
Zach Wilson, the player New York drafted No. 2 overall during Saleh's inaugural campaign, was an unmitigated disaster for the club. After going 11-23 in his first two years at the helm with Wilson failing to develop into a serviceable NFL starter, Saleh's shot at redemption with Aaron Rodgers under center went up in flames just four plays into the 2023 season.
Rodgers' severe injury ended any chance of the Jets having a truly successful year, but the team's defensive performance and 7-10 record convinced ownership that Saleh deserves another shot to show he can right the ship with a competent quarterback under center.
Saleh is taking a more hands on approach with the offense in 2024 as he looks to prove his chops beyond running an elite defense. According to ESPN's Rich Cimini, Rodgers recently praised the head coach's involvement in New York's scheming and claimed that the team will show off some of his ideas during training camp.
Whether keeping Saleh on and having help craft the offense will be remembered as a mistake or not remains to be seen.
If Rodgers returns to form and elevates the quarterback position in a way few aside from the future Hall of Famer can, the Jets should be a legitimate Super Bowl contender. The already deep offense improved notably in the trenches and the receiving corps could be amongst the league's deepest in 2024.
The Jets simply need to stay healthy and execute to become a top team. If they fail to do either, it could spell the end of Saleh's head coaching tenure.
