Bill Belichick Reacts To The Jets Firing Coach Robert Saleh
10/10/2024 11:00 AM
Bill Belichick was perplexed by the New York Jets firing head coach Robert Saleh five games into the 2024 season.
On Tuesday, the Jets dismissed the fourth-year head coach following a 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in London. A team with expectations of snapping the NFL's longest playoff drought fell to 2-3, prompting owner Woody Johnson to make his first midseason change.
Belichick, whose time coaching the Jets ended far sooner than Saleh's, discussed the drastic move on his Coach Podcast. The former New England Patriots head coach didn't understand why his old AFC East foe retained Saleh for the 2024 season only to fire him so soon.
"It is a little bit puzzling," Belichick said (h/t Bleacher Report). "It is what it is, and everybody has to move forward. It's the owner's prerogative to make that decision, and clearly that's what he decided to do.
"But there have been a lot of things that have been kind of confusing. It hasn't been a great situation for the Jets this year. You can kind of feel there's been kind of a chill."
Saleh went 20-36 with the Jets before getting dismissed. He oversaw stout defenses, but the offense hasn't ranked better than 25th in total yards under his watch.
Johnson said the change was years in the making before declaring that the Jets "can do better." Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will serve as the interim head coach for the rest of the season.
However, Belichick doesn't believe the Jets can pin all of their issues on Saleh. When recalling what he saw on last year's Hard Knocks, the six-time Super Bowl champion said the organizational culture "didn't look quite right."
The Jets will have time to locate a new head coach for 2025 and beyond. But don't count on Belichick pursuing the job this offseason.
Related: Dianna Russini Shuts Down Idea Of Bill Belichick Coaching The Jets
