Robert Saleh predicted to land Jaguars head coach job after NY Jets firing

As the NY Jets continue their search for a new head coach, their former coach could be on the verge of landing a new job. When the Jets fired Robert Saleh this past fall, most assumed that he would spend at least a year or two as a defensive coordinator again before receiving legitimate head coach buzz.

But the team's collapse following his firing seems to have done wonders for his stock around the league, so much so that multiple NFL teams are set to interview him this offseason for their vacant head coach positions.

Saleh is reportedly set to meet with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Tuesday while he will interview with the Chicago Bears on Thursday. The Jaguars seem to be very interested in the former Jets coach's services.

The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt even predicted on Monday that the Jaguars would ultimately hire Saleh as their next head coach. Rosenblatt reported that "there’s some real buzz" around Saleh's chances to land the job and that he's "considered a serious possibility."

Jaguars might hire Robert Saleh months after he was fired by NY Jets

Saleh was fired by the Jets in October following a disappointing 2-3 start to the season. That "disappointing" start doesn't look so concerning with the benefit of hindsight, however.

That five-game stretch included losses to a healthy San Francisco 49ers team, a playoff-caliber Denver Broncos squad, and the eventually 14-win Minnesota Vikings. The Jets would go just 3-9 the rest of the way under interim head coach Robert Saleh.

Ulbrich's poor coaching stint ironically boosted his former head coach's reputation in NFL circles. Teams now view Saleh as the architect of the Jets' defensive success, constrained by ownership interference that hindered his ability to fully execute his vision.

Is that a fair assessment? Not entirely, but perception is what matters. Saleh's stock has improved significantly over the last few months.

Saleh also has ties to the Jaguars organization, having spent three years as the team's linebackers coach under Gus Bradley between 2014 and 2016. He still has plenty of fans in that Jaguars building.

If Saleh is unable to land a head coach job this offseason, he should have no trouble finding work. The San Francisco 49ers are hoping Saleh could return to his former team as a defensive coordinator in 2025. That might be the ideal landing spot for the ex-Jets coach.

One could argue it's in Saleh's best interest to take a year or two off from being a head coach and bolster his reputation even more as a coordinator with a familiar organization before returning as a head coach in the near future.

If the Jaguars offer Saleh a head coaching role, however, it would be a difficult opportunity to turn down. Jacksonville is still evaluating candidates, but Saleh's name appears to rank high on their shortlist. This is a very real possibility.

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