Robert Saleh left a message for the Jets players on Thursday: it will be cycling on the metal around his team.
“Get used to the mantra: just gasoline, no brakes,” Saleh said during his introductory press conference at Zoom. “When we talk about all gas and no brakes, we are not talking about field efforts. We are talking about the process by which we do things. We are talking about the way we prepare, the way we wake up every morning, the way we recover, the way we communicate, the way we talk to each other. “
Saleh, 41, spoke about his vision for the Jets a week after agreeing to become the team’s new coach. He did not hit the table or secure the Lombardi trophies, but gave a clear message of what he expects and how he hopes to achieve it. There will be no memes mocking him after this press conference.
“We have a lot of work to do, but make no mistake that our goal is to win championships,” said Saleh.
The Jets hired Saleh after interviewing at least nine candidates. The team spoke to him virtually first and then received him for a personal interview a few days later in New Jersey. Team leaders heard complimentary reviews of Saleh before meeting him and were impressed when they spoke to him.
“When we met with Robert, I was impressed by his presence,” said the CEO and president of the team, Christopher Johnson. “He demonstrated the ability to engage with us in a virtual interview. He also clearly communicated a vision of this team aligned with ours. When we met in person, it validated everything we believed in after our initial meeting. Robert has shown through his journey here that he is a leader, one who will involve the whole team and partner with [general manager] Joe [Douglas] to continue building the culture of a winning organization.
“Your character and passion are what this team needs.”
Saleh takes on a team that has been one of the worst in the NFL in recent years. The Jets have the biggest NFL playoff drought in 10 seasons. They had five consecutive years of defeats. The team scored 2 to 14 in 2020. Now, Saleh will be the latest coach to try to turn the Jets into winners.
“It will take time, but everything we do will be designed to win championships in the future,” said Saleh, who has spent the past four seasons as a 49ers defensive coordinator. “When we talk about all gasoline, without brakes and that mentality, waking up in the morning, putting your foot on the pedal and having that mentality, again go to bed better than you woke up. This is the mentality that we will have and we are very confident that it will lead us to championships ”.
Douglas said Saleh checked all the Jets’ boxes, which emphasized leadership in that search. It looks like the Jets checked several boxes for Saleh too. Saleh, a Michigan native, interviewed six of the seven teams that had job openings in this cycle. But he said he felt a real connection with Johnson, Douglas and team president Hymie Elhai when they met.
“I felt at home,” said Saleh. “It felt like I was back home talking to my high school friends. Is at home. “
Saleh was inspired to work as a technician after his brother, David, escaped the South Tower on September 11. Saleh realized he couldn’t wait to pursue his dream of becoming a coach. He sees a greater significance for him now becoming the coach of the Jets.
“I should be here and I believe that,” said Saleh. “God does things for a reason and I believe this is one of them.”
To be the leader of the entire team, Saleh will not call defensive moves. He will leave that to defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, who arrives at the Jets from the Falcons. Adam Gase was often criticized for being too focused on the attack. Saleh believes that not calling moves will leave him free for other roles.
“Being able to have that focus on all aspects of a game, while maintaining our vision and the standard in which we play is the kind of role that I see a head coach taking on,” said Saleh.
Saleh said he contacted all Jets players via text message and received responses from some of them in text messages and calls, and found some who were receiving medical treatment at the Jets headquarters.
He emphasized how integral his relationship with the players will be.
“I believe that the investment that coaches put in players should be equivalent to the investment you put in your children,” said Saleh, father of six and another son on the way. “You need to invest everything you have in your heart and soul in these players, because they are counting on you to help them do their best so they can showcase their skills on Sunday.”