Big-Name Coach Now Available for Reunion With Matt LaFleur After Firing 

The New York Jets made a shocking move on Tuesday morning, firing head coach Robert Saleh after dropping their second-straight game in Week 5 against the Minnesota Vikings. 

Saleh spent four seasons as Jets head coach after being the defensive coordinator in San Francisco. Saleh could become a defensive coordinator again next offseason or wait for another head coaching opportunity.

According to Mike Silver of the San Francisco Chronicle, Saleh plans to regroup, vacation with his family, and prepare for the next hiring cycle. Silver adds Saleh has no plans to join anyone’s staff during the 2024 season should an opportunity arise.

However, with his connection to the Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, some fans still wonder if LaFleur would bring Saleh to Green Bay as a senior advisor. 

Saleh and LaFleur are best friends and started in the coaching ranks together as graduate assistants at Central Michigan in 2004. They also worked together in the NFL, early in their coaching careers with the Houston Texans.

LaFleur joined the Texans in 2008 as an offensive quality control coach for two seasons. Saleh joined Houston in 2005 as a defensive assistant and held two other positions over his six-year stint.

The Packers’ defense has been a turnover machine to start this season under new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley as they led the NFL in takeaways (14). 

However, adding a defensive mind like Saleh to help this Packers’ defense get more pressure on the quarterback, wouldn’t be a horrible idea. That said, Green Bay’s defense is in a good spot with Hafley. But it will be interesting to see if LaFleur offers Saleh to come to Wisconsin sometime this season.

More Packers news and analysis: