49ers coach Kyle Shanahan explains why he was 'pretty shocked' Jets fired Robert Saleh

The quality of Robert Saleh’s firing by the New York Jets came arsenic a astonishment to galore aft the caput manager had conscionable 5 games nether his loop this play with a 2-3 record. 

The daze was not conscionable for the Jets instrumentality base, but it was felt passim the NFL, including a erstwhile workfellow of Saleh’s retired west. 

San Francisco 49ers caput manager Kyle Shanahan knows Saleh precise well. The second was his antiaircraft coordinator from 2017-2020 earlier getting the Jets’ caput coaching gig successful January 2021. 

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New York Jets caput manager Robert Saleh looks connected from the sidelines against the Denver Broncos during the archetypal fractional astatine MetLife Stadium. (Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images)

So, aft proceeding Saleh was fired, Shanahan explained wherefore helium saw it arsenic a "pretty surprising" move. 

"I sent him a text, but I haven't gotten to speech to him," Shanahan said astatine a property league connected Tuesday. "And yeah, I was beauteous shocked. That worldly throws you off, particularly erstwhile they're competing for archetypal successful the part this week and I deliberation they're up determination connected defence and person got a beauteous bully squad and a accidental to person a hellhole of a year. So that was beauteous surprising."

JETS OWNER WOODY JOHNSON SAYS HE FIRED ROBERT SALEH 1 DAY AFTER MEETING WITH AARON RODGERS

New York Jets proprietor Woody Johnson told reporters that helium felt this was the close determination astatine the close time, but helium did not spell into item arsenic to wherefore helium decided to occurrence Saleh. 

To Shanahan’s point, the Jets mightiness beryllium a crippled nether .500, but the AFC East has been a astonishing clump truthful acold this season, with the Buffalo Bills astatine 3-2 aft suffering back-to-back losses conscionable arsenic the Jets have. The Miami Dolphins person been successful disarray contempt winning this past week against the New England Patriots, who look to beryllium 1 of the worst teams successful the NFL aft losing 4 consecutive games. 

So, with a part to vie for, and Saleh yet getting backmost Aaron Rodgers steadfast aft the disastrous torn Achilles successful Week 1 past year, this New York squad has a existent accidental to interruption that playoff drought of implicit a decade. 

To further the astonishment for Shanahan, Saleh’s defense, which was a spot past season, is producing yet again. However, the offense, which has been play-called by violative coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, has seen inconsistent play done 5 weeks. 

San Francisco 49ers caput manager Kyle Shanahan, left, and New York Jets caput manager Robert Saleh speech earlier the crippled astatine Levi's Stadium. (Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images)

Saleh’s firing came 1 time aft Johnson met with Rodgers, though the squad proprietor said helium had nary input into the determination to marque the firing. Johnson did consult GM Joe Douglas, but erstwhile again, the proprietor enactment the determination solely connected his shoulders. 

Saleh whitethorn beryllium connected the escaped cause artifact now, but his antiaircraft expertise should not person him determination long. 

Perhaps Shanahan could find a spot for his aged workfellow determination connected his staff, considering however large the 49ers’ defenses were with Saleh’s absorption successful the past. 

Meanwhile, the Jets volition springiness antiaircraft coordinator Jeff Ulbrich the relation of interim caput manager now, and reports accidental that helium volition person the remainder of the play to beryllium helium tin enactment successful the relation full-time. 

The quality of the New York Jets firing caput manager Robert Saleh, left, had San Francisco 49ers caput manager Kyle Shanahan, who was colleagues with Saleh, "pretty shocked." (IMAGN)

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With the keys passed to Ulbrich now, helium volition pb the Jets into "Monday Night Football" against the Bills this week.  

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