With the Jets job suddenly open, rumors of a longshot Bill Belichick reunion begin to fly

Would a third time be the charm for Bill Belichick as HC of the NYJ?

The Jets made a shocking move on Tuesday, firing head coach Robert Saleh just five games into the season.

New York, whose record sits one game below .500, will attempt to navigate the season under new leadership. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will take over on an interim basis for the remainder of the season, the team announced.

However, that didn’t stop a sizable number of social media users from unleashing a parade of memes, comments, and jokes about the prospect of former Patriots coach Bill Belichick returning to New York as Jets head coach.

“I know this will likely never happen because Bill Belichick hates the Jets, but I think Woody Johnson at least has to make the phone call,” longtime New York Daily News columnist Gary Myers wrote. “The chance to coach Aaron Rodgers, who Belichick admires, on a win-now team, combined with Woody’s money, could smooth things over.”

“Everyone always says Bill Belichick wouldn’t coach the team because he hates the Jets,” ESPN’s Kevin Clark wrote. “But doesn’t hating the Jets mean you’re true, real deal Jets fan?”

“The Jets have the opportunity to do the funniest thing ever,” multiple accounts posted with pictures and GIFs of Belichick.

SBNation and The Sporting News named Belichick on their lists of possible candidates for the job. NJ.com wrote a headline that included the question: “Will Bill Belichick be next Jets head coach?”

Bleacher Report resurfaced an old clip of Belichick and Parcells walking outside the Jets locker room and saying they wouldn’t go in there.

The Jets are more than familiar with Belichick, who was named head coach of the franchise twice before being traded to the Patriots in 2000.

His first stint was in 1997, when the Jets had issues finalizing a deal with the Patriots after attempting to hire him away. New York hired Belichick as interim head coach while the negotiations were hammered out. They reached a deal that allowed Parcells to coach the team six days later. Belichick remained with the team as defensive coordinator under Parcells.

The second and more famous stint was in 2000, when Belichick handed in a written resignation during his introductory press conference. The Patriots then traded for Belichick and named him their head coach.

The rest is history. Belichick won six Super Bowl titles with the Patriots and landed second all-time on the NFL coaching wins list before he and the franchise parted ways last winter.

Belichick’s Patriots spent years pummeling the Jets en route to their titles. The Jets have not made the playoffs since 2010.

New York’s playoff hopes have been rekindled by the arrival four-time league MVP Aaron Rodgers, along with a talented defense, but they underachieved (20-36) with Saleh at the helm.

Belichick and Rodgers have a deep respect for each other. Last month, Belichick called Rodgers “one hell of a player.” Rodgers called Belichick a “living legend.” The pair shook hands and had a chat at Gillette Stadium last year when the Jets beat the Patriots in Belichick’s last game.

The 72-year-old former coach has been spending time building a media career since the split with the Patriots. Some players, such as Julian Edelman, say there’s no way he’s finished coaching. He interviewed for Atlanta’s opening during the offseason but was not hired.

Belichick is 15 wins away from breaking Don Shula’s record for most wins by an NFL head coach. Teaming up with Rodgers to break the record while competing in the same division as the Patriots would generate plenty of buzz in New York and beyond.

It may seem unlikely to some, but the idea is already being talked about quite a bit.