With a 2-3 record, the San Francisco 49ers are struggling at the 2024 NFL season's start. However, San Francisco is not the only team facing challenges. The New York Jets started the season with the same record as SF, and thus, the team parted ways with head coach Robert Saleh on Tuesday. Kyle Shanahan gave his thoughts on Saleh's firing on the same day the news broke.
“I was pretty shocked,” Shanahan said, per KNBR. “That stuff throws you off, especially when they’re competing for first in their division this week & they’re up there on defense.”
At the time of Robert Saleh's firing, the Jets are in second place in the AFC standings, one win behind the first-place Buffalo Bills. One could argue New York could have given Saleh more time since the season is not completely lost. However, the team decided to go in a different direction.
Jets chairman Woody Johnson provided a statement amid the news on Saleh:
Article Continues Below“This was not an easy decision, but we are not where we should be given our expectations, and I believe now is the best time for us to move in a different direction,” Johnson said, via the Jets' official site.
Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich is taking over Saleh's coaching duties in the interim.
Kyle Shanahan feels for Robert Saleh, as the 49ers coach understands the pressures that come with NFL coaching. Shanahan has had success with San Francisco, but he wants the team to finally get over the hump and win another Super Bowl.
The 49ers nearly won a title in 2024 but fell to the Kansas City Chiefs 25-22 in Super Bowl 58. San Francisco has dealt with too many injury woes to count through the first part of the 2024 season. However, there remains hope that the 49ers can turn things around and make a deep playoff run.