Jets fans will laugh hearing Kyle Shanahan's excuse for Robert Saleh in New York

Former New York Jets head coach is getting his second shot as an NFL head coach in 2026, landing the same gig with the Tennessee Titans. After a year rehabilitating as the defensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers, he expects a better outcome than his disappointing tenure with the Jets.

Saleh's shortcomings in New York are well-documented. He always put together a good defense - that can't be disputed - but it was everything else that led to his downfall.

Inconsistent quarterback play, injuries, and bad draft picks certainly didn't help his case, but there were some things that fell on Saleh as well, such as a bad culture that fostered the "same old Jets" mentality.

But his close friend and confidant, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, believes Saleh got a "raw deal" in New York, and that should make some Jets fans laugh.

Kyle Shanahan believes Robert Saleh's Jets failures weren't entirely his fault

Despite getting 56 games as the head coach in New York, Shanahan said Saleh is in a better situation in Tennessee and should prove he's a better head coach than what people give him credit for.

"Robert deserves to be a head coach. He is one of the better coaches in this league. I thought he got a raw deal the first time. He's in a good situation."

Kyle Shanahan

Shanahan may be right. After all, he himself is one of the best coaches in the NFL and likely knows what it takes to be successful in this league.

But it's laughable to suggest Saleh didn't get a fair shot in New York. He had a 20-36 record in a little over four seasons, and struggled to keep his team together as the losses piled up.

And honestly, Saleh can't use the Zach Wilson excuse. It was he, and then general manager Joe Douglas, who decided to move on from future Super Bowl champion Sam Darnold in favor of Wilson, and everyone knows how that eventually played out.

Saleh may be better with the Titans than he was with the Jets. They're putting together a pretty good defense in Tennessee and have an exciting young quarterback in Cam Ward.

But the notion that he got a raw deal with the Jets is almost laughable. Saleh made his bed, and he had to suffer the consequences for it.