When the New York Jets announced the hiring of San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh as their next head coach, fans and pundits were ecstatic. For the first time, a Jets hire was universally loved. Before Saleh had coached his first preseason game, he was drawing comparisons to another coach who went from DC of a great team to head coach of the Jets – Rex Ryan.
Saleh was coined as a player’s coach; one who could get the best out of the players on his side of the ball. The trash talk wasn’t there, but the vibe around the team felt similar to that of the Ryan-led Jets.