Robert Saleh is aware that this season can not go down the same path his previous three as New York Jets coach did. In particular, the Jets can’t disappoint in the manner they did in 2023 when Super Bowl dreams crashed and burned for a myriad of reasons in another 7-10 finish.
Now 18-33 since being named Jets coach ahead of the 2021 season, Saleh is not going to accept the status quo.
“There’s lots of things I can do differently with regards to messaging … a lot of things will change [this season],” Saleh told reporters Monday at the NFL Annual Meetings in Orlando.
One of the changes is that Gang Green can’t be sucked into the hype of a successful offseason as they were in 2023 when Aaron Rodgers was acquired in a trade with the Green Bay Packers. That hype was further fueled by New York’s reluctant starring role in “Hard Knocks’ which generated a wave of massive expectations.
Rodgers, of course, lasted four plays into his Jets debut before sustaining a season-ending ruptured Achilles. And the Jets didn’t have the wherewithal nor the personnel, especially on offense, to overcome the devastating injury.
“I don’t have any regrets with regards to it because there’s no hiding from it. You trade for a guy like Aaron Rodgers, I feel like it would have sounded silly for any of us to try and hide from it,” Saleh said. “But the reality is, winning offseasons doesn’t matter. You’ve got to win football games.”
"Winning offseasons doesn't matter. We've got to win football games."
– Robert Saleh pic.twitter.com/2kcPGNBOJU
— Jets Videos (@snyjets) March 25, 2024
In regard to Rodgers saying recently that the Jets needed to eliminate distractions, Saleh said, “Distractions will be eliminated with winning.”
The Jets have not had a winning season under Saleh. They've had one winning season in the past 13, and they last reached the playoffs in 2010.
Robert Saleh “fully anticipates” Aaron Rodgers available for Jets minicamp
Speaking of Rodgers, Saleh said that he “fully anticipates” the 40-year-old quarterback will be good to go in OTAs. When asked, tongue in cheek, if Rodgers will have other things that would get in the way of him being available for spring workouts – a reference to Robert Kennedy Jr. throwing Rodgers’ name around as a possible Vice-Presidential running mate – Saleh laughed.
“Not that I’m aware of.”
Also on the injury rehab front, Saleh said that recently signed wide receiver Mike Williams has “a ways to go” before he takes part in football activity. However, Saleh likened Williams’ rehab to that of Jets running back Breece Hall last offseason and stated he believes Williams will be ready to play Week 1.
Like Hall in 2023, Williams is working his way back from a torn ACL.
As for another wide receiver with ties to the Jets, Saleh mentioned that the team has remained in touch with Corey Davis despite recently releasing him when Davis applied for reinstatement to the NFL. Davis abruptly left the Jets and retired late in training camp last season, a move that created a massive void for New York, though no lingering ill will.
“Our door is always going to be open to him,” Saleh said.
Davis caught 66 passes in 22 games for the Jets from 2021-22.
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