Robert Saleh aiming to end Jets' 13-year playoff drought as HC enters make-or-break 2024 NFL season
For the second year running, the New York Jets will be in action in the season-opener of Monday Night Football and will take on the reigning NFC champions San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium.
Last year, the team opened their campaign at MetLife Stadium against the Buffalo Bills in a game that will live in infamy. On their opening possession, quarterback Aaron Rodgers suffered a season-ending Achilles injury, weakening the team's Super Bowl ambition in the most anti-climactic way anyone could envision.
Given what transpired in the season-opener last year, it'd be natural to assume that the Jets wouldn't want to be reminded of it ahead of their Week 1 clash against the 49ers. However, head coach Robert Saleh believes their tumultuous start and the rest of the 2023 campaign have made the team mentally stronger and they are ready to face anything thrown at them.
"Last year, there was a lot of chaos, right?... [But] to grow in the world, to grow as an individual, you have to live in uncomfortable environments, and I would say last year was one of the more uncomfortable environments that you could create for an organization. Because of it, I think our players, coaches, everybody in this building are better for it," Saleh told ESPN.
The head coach has seemingly told his players that it's playoffs or bust for this roster. Tight end Tyler Conklin told ESPN:
"We either win, go to the playoffs and have a successful season or everybody's probably not going to be back here. I think Saleh is probably going out there and doing what he thinks is best for this team and kind of doing it his way. I mean, that's what I would do."
The Jets and the NHL's Buffalo Sabres jointly own the longest active streak without a playoff appearance across the top four US sports. Both teams last played a postseason game in 2011.
Saleh seemingly knows it's a make-or-break season not only for most players on the roster but for him as their head coach.
Robert Saleh admits he's on the hot seat
Robert Saleh is entering his fourth season as the Jets' head coach and it could potentially be his last. He has led the team to an 18-33 record over the past three campaigns, which isn't particularly impressive.
However, he was offered leeway due to the terrible situation he inherited and the Rodgers injury in Week 1 last year, which scuppered any hope of having a season to write home about.
But the 45-year-old admitted that the team could be at the end of its rope with him if they do not see substantial progress this year. In an interview, he was quoted saying,
“You’re hanging by a thread no matter what year you were hired. It could be Year 1, Year 10, Year 20. You’re always hanging by a thread, and all it takes is one bad year and you’re shown the door.”
The Jets' first season with Aaron Rodgers under center and Saleh at the helm ended disastrously. If they do not recuperate with a strong response in 2024, the franchise could head in a different direction next year.