What ‘shocked’ 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said to Robert Saleh after he was fired from the New York Jets
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan says he has contacted his former defensive coordinator and suspended New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh following his sudden firing on Tuesday.
Saleh was shockingly and unceremoniously dumped from the Jets after going 20-36 in four seasons.
Shanahan told reporters on Tuesday that he has contacted Saleh but has not had a chance to speak with him fully.
“I texted him but haven’t been able to talk to him yet,” Shanahan told reporters. “I was quite shocked.”
Shanahan added: “It throws you off guard, especially when they’re fighting for first place in the division this week, and I think they’re top of the table on defense, have a pretty good team and have a chance to a fantastic year. So it was quite surprising.”
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said he had contacted fired Jets coach Robert Saleh
Saleh was fired after a disappointing 2-3 start to the season for the Jets
Saleh got the ax from atop the Jets’ spot at Florham Park on Tuesday after a 2-3 start to the season in New York.
According to reports, Saleh was ‘blindsided’ by team owner Woody Johnson’s decision.
Johnson said he consulted with team general manager Joe Douglas before giving Saleh the boot, but said the decision was his and his alone.
Saleh was shown the door two days after the Jets lost a 23-17 game to the Minnesota Vikings in London in which the New York defense put up a strong second half.
The Jets’ defense may have been strong, but the offense lacked a spark — despite a healthy Aaron Rodgers.
Some of the blame lies with offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett – with reports suggesting Saleh wanted to fire him just before he himself was fired.
Saleh was the defensive coordinator for the 49ers before taking the head coaching job in New York. He helped shape them into a strong unit and was part of the team’s run to Super Bowl LIV, where they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs.