Former NY Jets' coach Robert Saleh has 'a real shot' to land Jaguars HC job

As the NY Jets continue their search for a new head coach, the coach they fired is exploring his options. Former Jets head coach Robert Saleh will interview for the Jacksonville Jaguars' vacant HC position, the team announced on Tuesday.

Saleh was fired by the Jets in October following a 2-3 start to the 2024 season. The Jets would go on to finish 3-9 under interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich with many believing the decision to fire Saleh was premature and ultimately tanked the team's postseason hopes.

The expectation has been that Saleh will have his pick of the litter as far as defensive coordinator jobs are concerned in 2025, but the Jaguars are interested in him as a head coach, and he seems to have a strong chance of securing the job.

NBC Sports and Pro Football Focus NFL analyst Connor Rogers believes that Saleh has "a real shot" to land the Jaguars head coach position if the team is unable to hire Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who many believe to be the favorite.

Robert Saleh could find another head coach job quickly after NY Jets firing

Saleh and the Jets entered the 2024 season with Super Bowl aspirations, but following an underwhelming 2-3 start to the year, owner Woody Johnson lost patience and parted ways with the former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator.

Saleh quickly found work under close friend Matt LaFleur's staff in Green Bay as a consultant for the Packers. The ex-Jets coach spent the latter half of 2024 working with LaFleur where he actually assisted mostly on the offensive side of the ball.

The Jaguars are the only team to put in an interview request for Saleh at this time, but that shouldn't come as a surprise. Saleh has deep ties to the Jaguars organization, having previously served as the team's linebackers coach from 2014-2016.

Saleh was notoriously beloved during his time in Jacksonville, and owner Shad Khan often favors candidates with a sense of familiarity when making hirings — just look at Trent Baalke.

Jacksonville has made eight total interview requests, notably with the likes of Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn, Liam Coen, and Joe Brady. All of those candidates, minus Johnson, are also expected to interview with the Jets (Coen has not been formally requested yet).

RELATED: NY Jets Head Coach Tracker 2025: Every candidate the team will interview

Saleh has no shortage of ties around the NFL and shouldn't be out of work for long if he fails to land the Jaguars job. Teams such as the Cincinnati Bengals and Indianapolis Colts are looking for new defensive coordinators.

He could also find roles with the San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, or Los Angeles Rams, given his obvious connections to each organization. Saleh will be able to find a job rather quickly.

The Jets will continue their extensive search for a new head coach. As for Saleh, he has a real opportunity to land a head coach position of his own.

More NY Jets news and analysis: