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It has been a frustrating time to be a New York Jets fan as they just recently fired head coach Robert Saleh in the middle of the season as they prepare for a crucial Monday night game against the Buffalo Bills. Now with the Jets having Jeff Ulbruch as the interim head coach, the organization is still in flux as it has garnered the reaction of legendary coach Bill Belichick to talk about the fan base amidst dysfunction with the team.
Despite coaching for the New England Patriots who has been a rival of the Jets for so long, he would give credit to the team for how they played on the defensive side of the ball. However, Belichick would say on the “Coach Podcast” that it has been other areas of the organization that has been convoluted.
“They’ve overall played pretty good defense over the last few years, that’s been a pretty solid group,” Belichick said. “The rest of the organization just has the appearance of dysfunctionality has been tough. That’s the ownership, that’s personnel, that’s coaching. Where exactly that falls I’m not sure but it just hasn’t looked good.”
Bill Belichick speaks on the Jets' culture leading to dysfunction
On the podcast with Belichick was Michael Lombardi who would point to the culture of the team being a main issue which was not helped by Saleh and especially ownership. The iconic Patriots head coach would even double down on that sentiment and say the culture has been the problem with the Jets for the “last decade.”
“This is cultural within the building and until they fix the building there’s no magic wand that’s going to change it,” Lombardi said.
“Which it’s probably been for the last decade,” Belichick said to Lombardi. “Again that record is more than the coach, more than the general manager and the personnel department, more than the owner. I mean there’s got to be some accountability all the way across the board.”
Bill Belichick on giving respect and admiring the Jets fans
Belichick has been relatively hated on by Jets fans since he's been in the division for a long time with the Patriots, plus how he was going to take the role with New York which did not end up happening after the 1999 season. Still, he would talk about how much he respects the fans of the franchise since they have been through treacherous times.
“The Jets fans as much as they got on me for a long time,” Belichick said. “I still respect the Jets fans for their passion for the team. Even though it hasn’t had a great run here lately.”
“Always optimistic,” Belichick continued. “They’re very vocal, very very passionate and they have that base, they have that support. If they can just maybe figure it out here and get it going a little bit. Like those fans in there now when they’re winning 34%, imagine when they’re winning 64% I mean that place will be unbearable.”
Another change besides Saleh has been the demotion of Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. New York still have a season ahead of them as they are 2-3 and have a chance to be first in the AFC East if they can beat the Bills Monday night in the first game without Saleh.
