Northern Michigan University graduate Robert Saleh should end up OK after firing by New York Jets
This whole weird mess with Northern Michigan University graduate Robert Saleh and the New York Jets head coaching job has me scratching my head.
There’s so much speculation with one person contradicting what another said — at least it seems that way from watching ESPN daytime shows the last two days.
So I was thinking about it. No, I don’t have any inside information, or even a little-bit-outside info, since I’ve never communicated with Saleh before.
If you remember, he played football at NMU from 1997 to 2000, graduating in 2001, then was applying his Northern degree to a banking job in Detroit when his brother David was caught in one of the towers of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.
Yes, that day. They couldn’t reach his brother for about 24 hours after the towers fell, as I remember that so many people were jamming lines in those earlier days of cell phones that no one could get a call through.
He, of course, felt such relief when his family finally got through to his brother that Robert Saleh saw it as a sign, a signal, a something, that he should go for what he really wanted to do, as life is too short not to.
And that was football coaching. So after years of toiling through the college and pro ranks as an assistant, including as an assistant coach at Central Michigan University when now-Green Bay Packers head man Matt LaFleur was also there as a fellow assistant coach, he got the Jets’ top job about 3 1/2 years ago.
I’ve seen Saleh several times during press conferences where he looked rather uncomfortable saying something that he was trying to convince the assembled reporters about.
I’ve had this feeling that he wasn’t the true head man in football operations as he should’ve been, being dictated to by his general manager, and particularly, his owner. He apparently headed up the defense, as that was his coaching speciality even as he played offense, when he was a four-year starting tight end, at NMU.
There’s been all this business about ex-Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers getting to install one of his offensive coordinators, Nathaniel Hackett, in that job in New York.
And Hackett has taken lots of flak for the deficiencies of the Jets’ offense.
So there has to be at least 17 — just a number I picked out of the air — different scenarios about how Saleh’s firing came about.
Here’s one I’m hoping it is:
Saleh got tired of being blamed for an offense that has been lacking, even with Rodgers in as QB full-time. He told owner Woody Johnson it’s “either me or Hackett” and the owner said that, since he didn’t really hire Saleh — his brother did when Woody was over being the U.S. ambassador to Great Britain — that he would stick with Hackett, pretty much a requirement if he wanted to keep Rodgers happy.
Chances are, that probably isn’t what happened, but heck, it makes our Wildcat-for-life sound a little better.
I feel pretty strongly that Saleh will land on his feet and get another NFL assistant coaching job as soon as he wants one.
Heck, maybe this whole thing soured him on the NFL. Maybe he’ll come back and be on Sherrone Moore’s staff at Michigan or Jonathan Smith’s at Michigan State. Or maybe be a consultant for NMU head coach Shane Richardson, as they were teammates for a couple seasons with the Wildcats.
Just idle thoughts.
Before these get me in any more trouble, let’s look at this week’s 14 games, noting that Minnesota, the Los Angeles Rams, Miami and Kansas City have byes this week:
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Today, 8:15 p.m.
San Francisco at Seattle — I’m reading that one of the 49ers’ big problems is red zone efficiency — they’re one of the worst at scoring touchdowns when getting inside an opponent’s 20-yard line. Since they’re not supposed to get all-everything runner-pass catcher Christian McCaffrey back right now — that would be the quick fix — I don’t see playing on the road in a short week against a divisional foe as remedying this problem. Seahawks, 30-18.
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Sunday, 9:30 a.m.
Jacksonville vs. Chicago, at London — Jacksonville is back to their home away from home, jolly ol’ England, where they’ll play this weekend and the following Sunday morning. The Jags might feel lucky making this trip right now, as Hurricane Milton is bearing down on central Florida and Jacksonville could be within its sights.
That and the turnaround this team got from last year’s extended trip have me thinking, Jaguars, 27-23.
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Sunday, 1 p.m.
Washington at Baltimore — A neighborhood rivalry with these teams not very many miles apart. I’m hearing that really good receivers can take advantage of the Ravens’ defense — something the Commanders aren’t known for — while a decent offense can take advantage of Washington’s defense — something Baltimore definitely has. Despite Jayden Daniels being an MVP candidate, let alone a Rookie of the Year frontrunner, I’ll take the Ravens, 34-30.
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Arizona at Green Bay — One of these West Coast teams — though Phoenix is desert-bound — coming east to play at 10 a.m. their time. I already liked Green Bay without that fact, so it’s a slam dunk to take the Packers, 33-20.
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Houston at New England — The Patriots are trotting out Drake Maye for the first time as starting QB, and Houston already has a good pass rush against a New England line that was getting previous QB Jacoby Brissett beat up. Egad, take the over bet on six sacks of Maye. Texans, 26-16.
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Tampa Bay at New Orleans — I always like to do a little internet searching when doing these picks. Well, I had to consult my computer just to figure out who was going to quarterback for the Saints this week with Derek Carr injured.
It sounds like they have the ultimate “when you have two quarterbacks you have none” quandary going between Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener. Who? Rattler was a fifth round-pick in April, while Haener was taken in the fourth round in 2023.
Uh, no thank you, I’ll take the Buccaneers, 24-10.
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Cleveland at Philadelphia — They were talking on one ESPN show on Wednesday morning, “What if the Eagles lose to Cleveland? Will their coach be the next to be fired?” Fair question, which says as much about the Browns as it does Philly. So by process of elimination — eliminating the really bad team — give me the Eagles, 27-25.
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Indianapolis at Tennessee — Oooh, here’s a matchup! Could be an early preview for who gets the top pick in next year’s draft, or at least a top-five pick with several other “worthy” contenders for that honor. I’m hearing Indy QB Anthony Richardson might be back but running back Jonathan Taylor is less likely. Don’t like that on the road, so I’ll hold my nose and take the Titans, 19-17.
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Sunday, 4 p.m.
Los Angeles Chargers at Denver — Not surprisingly, Broncos second-year head man Sean Payton has gotten his defense in order, which doesn’t sound good for visiting dinged-up QB Justin Herbert. Between the Denver altitude and that team’s defensive attitude, I’ll take the Broncos, 26-20.
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Pittsburgh at Las Vegas — Things didn’t go so well for the Steelers against Dallas in Pittsburgh on Sunday night. The Raiders are just the antidote. Steelers, 27-23.
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Atlanta at Carolina — Both teams have started looking better, but Atlanta comes from a much higher place to improve upon. Falcons, 30-24.
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Detroit at Dallas — I get the feeling Lions head coach Dan Campbell is trying to downplay last year’s lineman-not-declared-eligible play in Dallas, but the team wants to win it for him for just that reason. That and Detroit ought to be able to take advantage of the Cowboys’ defense much better than Pittsburgh did. Lions, 31-26.
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Sunday, 8:20 p.m.
Cincinnati at New York Giants — OK, at the beginning of the season, if I would have told you that in Week 6 the Giants would have a better record than the Bengals, would you ask me what I’m smoking? Well, 2-3 beats 1-4 and Cincy knows it, and also knows that their season is just about over if they fall to 1-5. Bengals, 29-23.
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Monday, 8:15 p.m.
Buffalo at New York Jets — They say coaching changes usually give a team a bounce for a week. But that’s when the “ship” has been heading straight toward an iceberg and it’s a relief to finally have the change happen. Doesn’t seem that way this time, with everyone taken by surprise by this move. Bills, 27-20.
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Last week — 9-5, 64 percent. Season — 44-34, 56 percent.
Steve Brownlee can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 552. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.