In a surprise move Tuesday, New York Jets owner Woody Johnson suddenly fired head coach Robert Saleh. The the focus will be on what the Jets will do to replace Saleh on a full-time basis in January, but there is also intrigue about Saleh’s future.
Surely, he will look to resume his coaching career in 2025. Let’s look at possible next steps for Saleh, who became the Jets’ head coach in 2021 and has a 20-36 record as a head coach.
NFL head coach jobs
It’s highly unlikely Saleh will get any real bites as an NFL head coach. He is now a retread and he didn’t have much success as a head coach with the Jets. So, don’t expect Saleh to be at the top of team’s interview list in the next coaching cycle.
College head coach jobs
Saleh, 45, has been coaching in the NFL since 2006. He did spend five seasons as a college position coach, including at Michigan State and Georgia. It is possible a college would try to hire Saleh in November or December before the NFL coaching cycle begins, so this shouldn’t be discounted, but it’s probably not Saleh’s likely next step.
NFL defensive coordinator jobs
This route is Saleh’s likely next move. He was a highly coveted head coach candidate for a couple of years because of his work as the defensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers spanning 2017-20.
It is not unusual for successful coordinators to have struggles as a head coach. They are two different jobs. And, often, fired head coaches go back to being coordinators and they have success again in that role. See Vic Fangio.
So, expect Saleh to be sought after by head coaches in January as a defensive coordinator prospect, As he will be at the very top of the defensive coordinator wish list for many head coaches, he will likely have his pick of jobs in 2025.
Of course, coaching staffs are built on relationships. So, Saleh may end up with coordinating under someone he has already worked with. So, look to the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree as a starter; Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur, and Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, or even back in San Francisco with Shanahan.
No matter, where he ends up, expect Salah to establish himself as a top defensive coordinator in his after-Jets career.
