The New York Jets fired Robert Saleh after just five games this season. He went 20-36 during his four years with the franchise, but the decision to part ways with Saleh hasn’t worked out for the team.
Since firing their former head coach, the Jets are 1-6. The team has played significantly worse under interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich. New York will hire a new head coach this offseason, and according to reports, Arthur Smith has emerged as a potential candidate for the job.
NFL Fans React to New York Jets’ Reported Interest in Arthur Smith
NFL fans on social media trolled the Jets franchise after Rich Cimini broke the news that Smith was a “dark horse candidate” to be Saleh’s replacement. Smith, currently the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive coordinator, previously served as the Atlanta Falcons head coach, but he didn’t succeed.
Since there are various other qualified candidates available on the market, the fans found the Jets’ interest in Smith quite amusing. Here’s how they reacted:
LOL the Jets are so cooked
— Thechek182 (@thechek182) December 6, 2024
“Ooof. Man that would be a J. E. T. S. hire if I ever seen one,” a fan said.
Another fan added, “RIP Garrett Wilson if that happens.”
Owner needs to sell the team. Did he forget about his performance in ATL? https://t.co/a7laYgaQdz
— M (@mdrizzy22) December 6, 2024
“Would be another terrible decision for the Jets,” wrote one fan.
“Did we forget how he looked in Atlanta?” another fan said about Smith.
Going from Todd Downing and Nat Hackett to Arthur Smith being HC https://t.co/SycUDEGlJB pic.twitter.com/WyEZLXfVij
— 𝔹𝕣𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕒𝕟 🍊🎆 (@BlockedByBrink) December 6, 2024
Smith went 21-30 during his time in Atlanta and regularly failed to get the best out of the players on his team. The Falcons had issues at the quarterback position during Smith’s tenure, and the head coach might have had success if he had Kirk Cousins or Michael Penix Jr. on the team.
Regardless of his quarterback situation, there was not much interest around the league in Smith for a head coaching role during the 2024 offseason, leading to him accepting an offensive coordinator position in Pittsburgh.
The Jets being linked with him is another reason their fans are so upset with the ownership group. The AFC East franchise played its last playoff game in 2010, and even after having a quarterback like Aaron Rodgers, the Jets managed to have an awful season.
Smith is doing great work as the Steelers’ OC, and staying in Pittsburgh could benefit his career. A few more years under Mike Tomlin might help him become a better leader, which will be useful if he gets another shot at being a head coach in the NFL.
List of Other Potential Candidates for the Jets HC Role
Apart from Smith, these are other potential candidates that the Jets could pursue in the upcoming coaching cycle:
- Mike Vrabel, former Tennessee Titans HC
- Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions OC
- Aaron Glenn, Lions DC
- Bobby Slowik, Houston Texans OC
- Matt Nagy, Kansas City Chiefs OC
Vrabel might be the best option for the Jets as he has experience as a head coach in the NFL and had success with the Titans. Since the Jets’ franchise needs a complete culture reset, a person of Vrabel’s personality should be on their wishlist.
Both of the Lions’ coordinators, Johnson and Glenn, will likely end up with a head coaching job after this season, but the main question is how willing they are to fix the mess in New York.
They have had immense success in Detroit and are part of an organization that is seemingly immune from any type of drama. That is certainly not the case in New York, as the situation with Saleh, Rodgers, and owner Woody Johnson might make it tough for the Jets to land the head coach they prefer.