Former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh informed his coaching staff that he intended to remove play-calling responsibilities from offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett before his dismissal on Tuesday, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Saleh reportedly planned to hand over offensive play-calling duties to passing game coordinator Todd Downing but was terminated by owner Woody Johnson shortly after this meeting.
Downing, 44, previously served as the offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans during the 2021 and 2022 seasons and joined the Jets last season.
The Jets’ offense has faced challenges since Hackett’s hiring in 2023. Currently, they rank 27th in the league in total offense, averaging 286.6 yards per game. Despite the return of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who missed most of the 2023 season due to an Achilles injury, the offense, which includes key players like Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson, has struggled to improve.
The decision to dismiss Saleh after just five games surprised many within the team and across the league. He held a 20-36 record as head coach of the Jets.
Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has been named the interim head coach as the team prepares for a divisional matchup against the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football. Ulbrich stated he does not anticipate significant changes to the coaching staff but did not rule out re-evaluating the responsibilities of current coaches.
“We’re gonna take a deep dive on that in the next 36 hours and look at every possibility, but I do not see changes in necessarily titles, in positions,” Ulbrich said, according to Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein. “As far as responsibilities and the process itself, we’re gonna take a hard look at that.”
Hackett had previously reunited with Rodgers after they developed a strong rapport during their time together with the Green Bay Packers. Ulbrich indicated that the four-time MVP will play a role in determining the new play-caller.
Meanwhile, Johnson expressed hope that the coaching change will position the Jets for immediate success.
“I think one of the reasons that I decided to make a coaching change at the highest level is exactly that: We need to find ways to win,” Johnson said, per Epstein. “We’re not going to find those ways by doing the same thing over and over and over.”
