Jets Hire Robert Saleh as HC, Mike LaFleur as OC

[YoungStuna]

New head coach Robert Saleh is the exact jolt of energy the Jets have needed for years

For far too many years, it’s felt like the Jets have just been going through the motions. And it was more than just the losing. It was the lack of enthusiasm under Adam Gase, the lack of energy under Todd Bowles. The fire has always felt like it had been doused in the franchise.

That’s all about to change.

All it takes is one look at a clip of the 41-year-old Saleh on the sidelines in San Francisco and it’s clear what he’s all about. He is a fiery, passionate leader who is invested in his players, and in turn makes them feel invested in him. It’s why his former players rave about him, and why so many of his new Jets players seemed so happy on Thursday night to hear the news that he’d been hired.

Saleh is the big jolt of energy that the Jets have needed for years.

And yes, he can coach, too. That’s the most important part. When he arrived in San Francisco in 2017 he inherited the worst defensive unit in football. Two years later it was in the Top-15. In Year 3, it ranked second and dragged the 49ers all the way to the Super Bowl. And this past year, despite losing players like Nick Bosa, Solomon Thomas and Richard Sherman, somehow Saleh put enough pieces together for the defense to still rank fifth overall.

“You’ve got to give Robert Saleh an abundance of credit -- an unusual amount of credit,” Sherman said back in December. “To lose so many (players) and have guys who can’t practice, week after week, he never makes an excuse. We’re still a top-five defense in almost all categories.

“There are (coordinators) out there with Pro-Bowlers and All-Pros and never had an injury, never had any adversity, and they’re not putting out a top-five defense. He’s able to rally men, and that goes a long way.”

The ability to “rally men” is big for the Jets. It’s another way of saying Saleh can inspire players to follow him. When’s the last time they had a coach who could do that? There was never a sense around the Jets that anyone in the locker room would run through a wall for Gase in his two seasons. And while there were players who loved Bowles during his tenure, he had players who tuned him out at times and his locker room was too often a fractured place.

The last time the Jets had a leader that really could rally his team was, of course, Rex Ryan, who rallied the Jets to the AFC Championship Game in each of his first two seasons. Yes, Ryan was a showman and his personality was sometimes too far over the top, but there’s no doubt that his bravado and confidence were infectious, on the field and off.

That's Saleh. He’s everything Gase wasn’t. He’s a lot of things Bowles wasn’t either. He won’t be a monotone voice of the franchise or someone who looks disengaged on the sideline. If he’s anything like he was in San Francisco, there will never be a doubt for anyone that he is completely and totally in charge.

“He's going to coach you hard and aggressive and expect a lot out of you,” 49ers linebacker Fred Warner said recently. “You've got to be able to be a teacher more than anything if you want to be a great coach. He's an amazing teacher. I've learned so much from him.”

Added Sherman: “He’s a great leader of men.”

Sherman, a thoughtful and intelligent man, surely didn’t use that phrase lightly. And similar phrases come up when talking about Saleh with people around the league. It’s why he’s been a rising star in the coaching ranks for several seasons. It’s why six of the seven teams looking for a new head coach made sure to interview him over the past week.

That’s why Jets players like Quinnen Williams and Mekhi Becton erupted with such joy on Twitter, and why so many around the NFL felt the Jets really got this hire right. Who knows if he’s the man who can lead the Jets back to the Super Bowl for the first time in more than 50 years, or if he can even end their decade-long playoff drought?

But when he first steps to the podium as the new Jets head coach, and later stands in front of his new players for the very first time, plenty of people will believe that he’s the one he can do it. He has that kind of presence. He inspires that kind of confidence. That’s what a leader does.

In the end, only the wins and losses will matter, of course. An turning around a team that just finished a 2-14 season could take a while. But for now, at least, Saleh brings an energy level and excitement and passion that this franchise has so desperately needed.

And for a rebuilding team like the Jets, that’s a very good place to start.

https://www.sny.tv/articles/new-head...eded-for-years

[YoungStuna]

https://twitter.com/nfl/status/1349929401916420098?s=21

[YoungStuna]

https://twitter.com/richcimini/statu...308123136?s=21

I hope we don’t keep Darnold, but if we do keep him, this system would likely bring the best out of him.

[kpjets]

I wanted him or the northwestern coach. I want them to put money into a complete coaching staff like when rex got here and when Parcells got here that's the most important thing.

[johnnyi]

Mike LaFleur is in his fourth season with the 49ers and third as the team's passing game coordinator. He previously served as the team's wide receivers/passing game coordinator in 2018 and wide receivers/passing game specialist in 2017.
In 2019, the 49ers had 13 different players with at least one touchdown reception on the season, which tied the NFL record for the most players with a touchdown reception in a single season. TE George Kittle's game continued to improve as he was named Associated Press First-Team All-Pro, PFWA All-NFL and All-NFC and was selected as a starter in the Pro Bowl. Kittle led the team with 85 receptions for 1,053 yards and five touchdowns. He became just the fifth player in franchise history, and the first tight end, to have multiple 1,000-yard seasons, joining WR Jerry Rice (12), WR Terrell Owens (5), WR Anquan Boldin (2) and WR John Taylor (2). Rookie WR Deebo Samuel registered 57 receptions for 802 yards and three touchdowns while also adding 14 carries for 159 yards (11.4 average) and three touchdowns. His 57 receptions and 802 receiving yards each ranked second among all rookies in franchise history. WR Kendrick Bourne tallied 30 receptions for 358 yards and a career-high five touchdowns.
In 2018, TE George Kittle was named Associated Press Second-Team All-Pro and selected to the Pro Bowl in only his second season as he led the team with 88 receptions for 1,377 yards and five touchdowns, setting the NFL record for the most receiving yards in a single season by a tight end. Kittle also became the first tight end in franchise history to surpass 1,000 receiving yards in a single season. His 88 receptions also set the franchise record for the most receptions by a tight end in a single season. WR Kendrick Bourne led the receiving corps with career-highs in receptions (42) and receiving yards (487). Rookie WR Dante Pettis registered 27 receptions for 467 yards and five touchdowns, as his five touchdown receptions were the most by a 49ers rookie since RB Jimmy Thomas notched five touchdown receptions in 1969, and were tied for the second-most by a rookie in franchise history.
In 2017, under LaFleur's tutelage, WR Marquise Goodwin set career highs in both receptions (56) and receiving yards (962) and his 17.2 yards per reception average ranked third in the NFL. Rookie WR Trent Taylor registered 43 receptions for 430 yards and two touchdowns. His 430 receiving yards were the most receiving yards by a 49ers rookie wide receiver since 2009 (WR Michael Crabtree – 625).
In 2016, LaFleur worked with the Falcons wide receiving corps, where WR Julio Jones finished second in the NFL with 1,409 receiving yards and WR Mohamed Sanu set a new career high with 59 receptions.
In his first year in Atlanta, LaFleur assisted the Falcons tight ends, where TE Jacob Tamme registered 59 receptions for a career-best 657 yards.
LaFleur first entered the NFL in 2014 as an offensive coaching intern with the Cleveland Browns. That season, he worked with the offensive line, who helped RBs Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West combine to rush for 1,280 yards on 319 carries (4.0 average), as Cleveland ranked fourth in the NFL with 17 rushing touchdowns.
Prior to Cleveland, LaFleur was the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks/wide receivers coach at Davidson College in 2013.
Before joining Davidson, he spent three seasons at Saint Joseph's College as quarterbacks coach (2010) and offensive coordinator (2011-12).
LaFleur began his coaching career at his alma mater, Elmhurst College, in 2009 as an offensive assistant working with the school's quarterbacks. Other responsibilities included film analysis, offensive game planning and directing the scout team.
A native of Mount Pleasant, MI, LaFleur was a team captain and three-time letter winner as a quarterback and safety at Elmhurst. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in physical education in 2009. His brother, Matt LaFleur, is the head coach of the Green Bay Packers. LaFleur married his wife, Lauren, in July of 2010. The couple has two children.

[Kinkotheclown]

Three words


WOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MUTHAFUKIN!!!!!!!!HOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!


I cannot express my excitement with this hire. He was my favorite of the candidates and the more I read, the better it gets.

And to boot, LaFleur? The head coach comes in and steals a huge piece of his formers team's offensive coaching staff to be the OC? Holy ****.

I honestly haven't been this excited as a Jets fan in since "Can't Wait".

Something about a Douglas-Saleh combination seems very, very promising. Both are no BS, positive attitude guys.

I am terrified to say this but I think the Johnson's got it right. I know Joe basically gave them the answers to the exam but they still remembered them.

What a way to wake up!

[JetNation]

Very excited about the hire! I want to see what the entire staff looks like as well as what players he targets in the draft/FA but I think this is a huge step in the right direction. Hopefully Q can take yet another step towards greatness in this new defense too!

[JetNation]

https://youtu.be/wpTsM9sSNKo

Everything you hear about him is always so positive! I love it

[wiley6]

https://twitter.com/nfl/status/1349929401916420098?s=21

It sounds like he understands what Gase apparently never did.

[wiley6]

https://twitter.com/richcimini/statu...308123136?s=21

I hope we don’t keep Darnold, but if we do keep him, this system would likely bring the best out of him.

I don't want Darnold back either and I don't understand why the messaging is that the Jets only have two options. The messaging seems to be that the Jets two options are the following.

- Keep Darnold and start him next year
- Draft a QB at #2 and start that guy immediately

Why can't the Jets draft a QB at #2 and sign a vet QB to start the season and let the new QB sit and learn?

It is not very likely that the Jets will jump from 2-14 to a contender next year. Therefore, they should feel no pressure to rush their process for long term success

There is no reason to rush to start a new QB. The only reason for a rookie QB to start for the Jets next year is if that guy takes the reins and gives them no choice but to start him. If that happens, then the Jets will have drafted the right guy.

[UncleBuckFaston]

I love the hire, I was scared when he walked out of the building the other day that we weren’t gonna get it done but Joe D got it done. Round of applause for Joe Douglas to not fall for the guys he was experienced with like Pederson and the Baltimore guys and instead just going for the best guy for the job which was absolutely Saleh.

I am expecting a good amount of vet 9er players following him here..

[JAZZNC]

Very happy with the hire. Hopefully he can keep good offensive minds around long term. But I think the job he did this year with that defense speaks volumes about his ability as a coach. That's about the only worry I had with a guy like EB from the Chiefs, was it just Mahomes/Reid making him look great. This year showed Saleh is just a damn good coach, not just a guy letting a bunch of great players be great. He also seems like a great "culture" guy which is what we need for sure. Unlike the last guy we had, players LOVE him which is fantastic and he might have a bit of emotion which is something we haven't had from a HC since Rex.

[NoSleepTill]

Along with M. lafleur, John Benton will be coming along from the 49ers to take the role of offensive line coach and run game coordinator. Also, Gregg Knapp, former qb Atlanta qb coach, will take the same role.while Denver quality control coach Rob Calabrese will be THE passing game coordinator.

[wiley6]

Any word yet on who will be the DC?

[MrX27]

Any word yet on who will be the DC?

From what I've read they are interviewing and should have someone soon.

Aaron Glenn is now available for in-person meeting.