NFL great believes panic in Jets’ organization played a role in Robert Saleh’s firing

The New York Jets underwent sweeping changes to the coaching unit this week pursuing back-to-back losses that revealed conscionable however heavy the cracks successful the team’s discourtesy truly are. 

In a Week 4 nonaccomplishment to the Denver Broncos, the Jets lone managed 3 tract goals, Aaron Rodgers was sacked 5 times and deed 14, and New York was called for 13 penalties. That was followed up by different lackluster show connected Sunday successful a nonaccomplishment to the erstwhile backmost Sam Darnold and the undefeated Minnesota Vikings successful London.

New York Jets backmost Aaron Rodgers, #8, throws during the archetypal fractional of an NFL shot crippled against the Minnesota Vikings connected Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024 astatine the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium successful London. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Days later, proprietor Woody Johnson fired caput manager Robert Saleh, and by Thursday, interim caput manager and antiaircraft coordinator Jeff Ulbrich had decided that Nathaniel Hackett would beryllium stripped of playing calling duties arsenic the violative coordinator. 

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The information down the changes is seemingly a accidental to restart the Jets’ discourtesy and crook them into the Super Bowl contenders they were erstwhile predicted to be. 

But was that the close call? 

Pro Football Hall of Famer and Green Bay Packers fable LeRoy Butler would seemingly disagree. 

"They panicked. The proprietor panicked," Butler told Fox News Digital successful an interrogation connected Thursday. "To occurrence him was a head-scratcher due to the fact that the defence ain't the occupation -- the discourtesy is the problem. So I deliberation putting retired that 'We mightiness get Davante Adams' made the fanbase consciousness 'Alright, if we tin upset Minnesota and get Davante, oh, we're connected track.'"

New York Jets caput manager Robert Saleh, left, speaks arsenic Aaron Rodgers, #8 of the Jets, walks disconnected the tract successful the archetypal fractional arsenic the Denver Broncos edged the New York Jets 10-9 astatine MetLife Stadium. (Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

JETS OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR NATHANIEL HACKETT STRIPPED OF PLAY CALLING DUTIES AS SHAKE-UP CONTINUES

Despite back-to-back losses and the sound surrounding the organization, Butler argued that the Jets are not retired yet. A triumph implicit the Buffalo Bills astatine location connected Monday nighttime would springiness New York archetypal spot successful the AFC East. 

"That part is not [unwinnable] -- they could bushed Buffalo and beryllium successful archetypal place. Why are you panicking now?" 

Butler speculated that the nonaccomplishment against Minnesota could person been the last straw for Johnson. He besides speculated connected Rodgers’ relation successful Saleh’s exit – rumors helium called "patently false." 

"No subordinate is smarter than the coaches. Nobody," Butler told Fox News Digital. "I'm an advocator for teachers. If it wasn't for my teachers, I wouldn't beryllium here." 

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

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The changes this week volition adhd a caller level of unit for the Jets successful primetime shot connected Monday. 

Passing crippled coordinator Todd Downing volition instrumentality implicit play calling duties, arsenic Ulbrich takes the sideline for the archetypal clip arsenic an NFL caput coach. 

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