Under most circumstances, getting fired from your job is never a good thing. But if the Jets’ recent history is to be looked at, Robert Saleh’s untimely ouster might be a blessing in disguise for him.
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One of the biggest examples of this theory in recent memory is Todd Bowles. Signed by the New York franchise in 2015, much was expected of Bowles following his contributions to strengthening the defensive units of the Eagles and the Cardinals.
However, as we now know, the Jets were a mess offensively and consistently finished at the bottom. As a result, Bowles was finally shown the door in 2018. In his final year, the team boasted a disappointing 2-14 record.
Months later, Bowles joined the Buccaneers as a defensive coordinator. One thing led to another, and Bowles was seen lifting his first Super Bowl as the head coach of the franchise.
Interestingly enough, the trend also seems to be favoring Jets players. Sam Darnold, for example, is a living example of this theory.
After his dreadful stint with the Jets, almost everyone had written off the first-round drafted quarterback. However, with the Vikings, Darnold is now almost unrecognizable.
For someone who averaged a passing rating of 78.2 in his Jets tenure, Darnold has made a significant leap, currently boasting a rating of 103.4 — a massive jump from his early days in the Big Apple.
While it might sound outlandish to find positives in getting fired, when a certified NFL legend like Mike Lombardi also endorses this theory, you know there is substantial proof behind the trend.
Lombardi shows Robert Saleh the bright side
In the latest episode of “Coach with Bill Belichick,” the three-time Super Bowl-winning NFL executive conveyed the same sentiment that being fired from the Jets is not necessarily a bad thing.
Lombardi also brought up Bowles and Darnold in his argument, while pointing out that they went on to find success elsewhere. He also added Geno Smith and Joe Flacco to the list, both of whom went on to win the Comeback Player of the Year award with other teams.
Therefore, Lombardi urged Saleh to look at the positives:
“Todd Bowles is having success down in Tampa. He was fired from the Jets, right? The two best comeback players of the year in the last two years, Joe Flacco and Geno Smith, are former Jets players. And this year, Darnold might be, so you know getting fired from the Jets may not be the worst thing at all.”
With this much historical evidence pointing towards the contrary, Saleh should really take a chill pill and focus on making himself fit enough for the next opportunity.
