The Jets made an out-of-nowhere move Tuesday, and their loss in London might have played a factor in a way fans might not realize.
New York fired head coach Robert Saleh after starting the season 2-3. It was the first time Gang Green fired a head coach in-season since 1976. Aaron Rodgers was cited as the person who had the most influence on the decision and internal turmoil along with potential changes might have been too much for the organization to handle.
Saleh reacted with grace to his unceremonious firing which reportedly included him walking into the building before being escorted out by security.
The question on fans’ minds is why would the Jets do this.
Before the Week 5 matchup, former Jets head coach and New England Patriots defensive coordinator Eric Mangini pointed out on “First Things First” that owner Woody Johnson would be “pissed off” by a loss in London because of his time as United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom. That theory was floated again by a Jets beat reporter after the Minnesota Vikings beat New York.
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“You can’t overlook the game being in London on Sunday,” the New York Post’s Brian Costello told Dan Patrick on Tuesday. “He was the ambassador to the UK, he’s got a lot of friends over there. I’m sure he was embarrassed. That probably was a factor.”
If Johnson really fired Saleh just because he lost in front of his UK friends, then there’s really no coming back from fans calling the Jets a poorly run organization. The other theory of Rodgers playing a role isn’t much better, and there will be pressure to succeed after making Saleh the scapegoat for the team’s early struggles.
Featured image via Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images
