Jets fans still cannot escape the nonstop Robert Saleh obsession

With how the national media has covered Robert Saleh and the Tennessee Titans this offseason, you’d think that he was the perfect blend of Bill Parcells, Vince Lombardi, and Sean McVay.

By no fault of his own, Saleh has become the NFL’s poster boy for the league’s latest redemption tour.

Tennessee gambled on Saleh, who frequently looked overwhelmed throughout his three-plus seasons as the Jets’ coach, to help ensure the Cam Ward era is a success.

Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay certainly believes in the Saleh effect, writing that the Titans are among five underrated teams that could challenge for a playoff spot.

Kay cited several of the Titans’ offseason moves, including Saleh reuniting with defensive playmakers John Franklin-Myers and Jermaine Johnson II, as reasons he’s buying high on Tennessee.

The national media loves Robert Saleh (for reasons unknown)

You’d think that football fans and observers would have long since realized that great coordinators do not always make successful head coaches. Josh McDaniels is arguably the best example for the current generation, given his failures in Denver and Las Vegas.

No one is disputing that Saleh has a decorated track record as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator, both before and after he coached the Jets.

But enough is enough already.

At some point, the media apparently decided that Saleh is an underrated coach who simply had a string of bad luck in New York. And in fairness to Saleh, that’s not entirely inaccurate, given the organization’s overall dysfunction.

When you look back at Saleh’s Jets tenure, though, were there truly any positives that provide current reasons for optimism?

At best, the Jets were mediocre while Saleh was the head coach, and even that feels like giving him too much credit. Context considered, his 20-36 record still has to matter.

Even the argument that Saleh may be best suited for a smaller market only goes so far with how high the stakes are.

Saleh inherits a quarterback whom the Titans envision as the face of their franchise. Ward impressed in spurts as a rookie when his offensive line wasn’t letting him down.

But if the Titans truly want Ward to succeed, why not pair him with an experienced, offensive-minded coach who has helped develop young quarterbacks?

Never mind the fact that the Titans play in an AFC South that should be competitive, even if it’s not the loaded NFC West.

Instead, the Titans believe that Saleh is the right man for the job, and the national media is going right along with it. The Jets’ Week 1 date with the Titans cannot come soon enough.

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