Jets' Robert Saleh makes 'fun' prediction for 2024 season

New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh has accumulated an overall record of 18-33 during his tenure and could be shown the door by team owner Woody Johnson in January 2025, if not sooner.

Saleh nevertheless believes this will be the year when he helps get the franchise going in the right direction.

"I think we all felt that last year was gonna be that for us," Saleh explained while speaking with reporters at training camp on Friday, as shared by Robert Sanchez of SNY. "… Last year, really felt like we were getting ready to take that third-year leap, similar to what (the Detroit Lions experienced in 2023-24), and obviously it didn’t work out the way we wanted it to, but this year is gonna be fun."

It's widely believed that Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas held onto their jobs this offseason because they have the support of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who officially joined the club from the Green Bay Packers in April 2023 but then suffered a torn Achilles just four offensive snaps into the regular-season opener. Rodgers should be fully recovered from that injury and ready to go before the Jets take the field for their Week 1 "Monday Night Football" game at the San Francisco 49ers on Sept. 9.

As recently as last week, former Jets quarterback and current NFL analyst Boomer Esiason reiterated that Saleh, Douglas and Rodgers will all get "canned" if New York's playoff drought extends to 14 consecutive seasons. Saleh indicated he feels no differently about the upcoming campaign than he's felt in previous summers.

"The pressure’s always gonna be there," Saleh added during his comments. "We always feel pressure to win. Now, later, it doesn’t matter. As far as outside noise and creating the expectations and ultimatums and all that stuff, it doesn’t matter. It's an end result that we have no control over. What we have control over and the greatest expectation is to be our best every day and really that’s the biggest focus."

Saleh seemingly is safe as long as Rodgers is with the Jets and happy to play under the fourth-year head coach. Whether or not the future Hall of Famer could push Johnson to make an in-season change if the Jets fail to enter November with at least a winning record shall be seen.