The New York Jets have reportedly already made a decision on the futures of head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas.
New York entered the 2023 season with sky-high expectations following the arrival of four-time MVP and quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Unfortunately, the Jets’ promising year immediately went off the rails when Rodgers suffered a torn Achilles just minutes into his debut with New York back in week 1.
According to Zack Blatt of The Athletic, the expectation is that both Saleh and Douglas will be retained for 2024 despite another losing year in Gotham:
“Yet internally, the Jets are operating as if the whole regime — Saleh, Douglas and even offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett — will be back in 2024.
That’s because Aaron Rodgers is their lifeline.
Rodgers, who turns 40 on Saturday, might wield more power than any other player in the NFL…
Rodgers has the power to ensure their job security: If he says that he’ll return only if this coaching staff remains intact, then it will be locked in and safe. Johnson values Rodgers’ opinion and it would be surprising if he didn’t seek it out.”
Saleh is wrapping up his third season with the Jets, while Douglas is about to finish his fifth season with the organization. The Jets were in the early stages of a giant rebuild when Douglas and Saleh arrived in 2019 and 2021, respectively.
The two obviously can’t be blamed for Rodgers’ unfortunate injury, but they can be blamed for not having a better backup QB plan in mind. Rather than trade for or sign a more established veteran, the Jets put their 2023 season in the hands of Zach Wilson despite uninspiring rookie and sophomore NFL campaigns.
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Nonetheless, it looks like the Jets are willing to five Saleh and Douglas another year together. At this stage, however, it’s safe to say that a playoff berth at minimum is necessary for both men to retain their jobs beyond 2024.
