Despite three years with the Jets, all it took to fire Robert Saleh were 90 seconds after owner Woody Johnson walked into the office. Even though the team hasn’t been up to the par during Saleh’s tenure, the decision still surprised the NFL world.
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This included fans, media and the analysts. One of the strong critics of this move has been Richard Sherman, the former Seahawks CB. In his recent podcast, Sherman went off on Johnson. He couldn’t fathom that Saleh got fired without a chance to address the players and was actually escorted out of the building.
Expressing his frustration at the treatment received by the former HC, Sherman believed the decision felt more like a knee-jerk reaction. He said:
” From what we’re hearing, they’re saying Woody Johnson walked into his office and fired him in 90 seconds, have the security escort him out of the building without giving him a chance to talk to his team, without any conversation and no explanation. That’s the part that bothers me the most- No Explanation.”
On the other hand, Johnson believed that despite a strong roster, the team was failing to leave their mark. Contrary to the notion that the decision was made after the brutal 23-17 loss to the Vikings, the owner revealed that it was being contemplated for years.
He thanked the former coach for his services and hard work but believed that the team was ready to move on to a new leadership. Concerning the same, Johnson addressed:
“This is probably the best team I’ve had in 25 years. I just felt that the best way to go forward with a new direction. Taking Jeff Ulbrich and making him the interim head coach, I thought that would get the most out of this team and give us the best chance that we all want to have, which is going to the playoffs.”
In fact, it is the first time the owner has dismissed a coach during a season in 25 years. Meanwhile, Richard Sherman reiterated how the decision hasn’t been taken properly. A fair explanation is the least the Jets could offer to the former coach, who was left “blindsided.”
Robert Saleh deserved an explanation, per Richard Sherman
During the same segment of the podcast, Sherman argued that firing Saleh without an explanation wasn’t justified. After all, the league is built on accountability. Saleh, a defensive coach, has performed well on that side of the ball, while the offense—Rodgers included—has struggled.
The Super Bowl winner speculated that Woody Johnson decided to fire the coach because he felt embarrassed of their performance on the foreign soil. This, per the analyst, reflected poorly on Johnson.
The former 49ers CB pointed out that coaches rarely get fired in the middle of the season without exigent circumstances. He felt the move wasn’t needed before the end of the season and an explanation should have been offered to show some dignity.
” When you fire the coach without explaining to him why you are firing, then I don’t think you’re justified. This isn’t the guy who was hard on his players, it’s a players coach and it’s a defensive coach. This feels like a guy making a decision really knee-jerk. It’s his team. He can do whatever. I just don’t agree with the decision, I don’t agree with how they treated him.”
Despite cutting Saleh off as the HC, he will be paid $10 million over the next two years. Meanwhile, the offensive struggles of the Jets continue. According to San Francisco Chronicle, Saleh is planning to take a break for the rest of the season as he prepares to apply for DC jobs next hiring cycle.
