The Jets introduced Rex Ryan as head coach 12 years ago, on January 21, 2009. It was the day after the presidential inauguration. He faced questions about whether he would move on from his defender.
Twelve years later, the Jets will introduce Robert Saleh as head coach on Thursday at 2 p.m. It’s the day after a new inauguration, and Saleh will ask questions about the defender’s plan.
Ryan won the press conference that day. He said the Jets would soon meet with newly elected President Obama, and Ryan gave life to an organization and fan base that was stopped by his predecessor, Eric Mangini.
Saleh has a chance to do the same on Thursday. Jets fans and the organization are hungry for change after two years of losses under Adam Gase, who lost his famous introductory press conference. Saleh has a chance to energize the Jet universe on Thursday.
Like anything else in these times, it will be different. Saleh will not speak to a room full of reporters. Instead, he will talk over a Zoom call, looking at a computer screen. However, this is an important day for Saleh and the Jets. Here are the questions we would like answered:
Questions for Saleh
What is your assessment of Sam Darnold?
The defender’s question will dominate out of season. Saleh is believed to be a fan of Darnold, but the team must decide if it would be smarter to move on. Expect Saleh to talk a lot about Darnold, but don’t make promises.
Will you call the defense?
How far are the Jets from being a competitor?
Fans are impatient. It’s been 10 years without the playoffs and five consecutive seasons lost. Saleh has to deliver his plan and vision on how he will get the franchise out of this funk and how fast he can do it.
The Jets set out to find a CEO coach to oversee the entire team. They felt that Gase was too invested in the offense and ignored the defense. Can Saleh be that CEO coach and still make defensive calls or will he give up games from an assistant coach? It is a balancing act for a coordinator promoted to head coach. The reason Saleh became the head coach was his defensive skill. But a head coach has to oversee everything.
Questions for CEO Christopher Johnson
Will the organizational structure change?
The Jets had the head coach and general manager reporting to the owner since 2015, rather than having the head coach under GM. It seems to drive fans crazy for some reason. Johnson said they will consider changing it. Now, we’ll find out if they do.
Why will it be different this time?
He will be the seventh head coach Johnsons has hired since buying the team 21 years ago. Some, like Ryan and Herm Edwards, have had modest success. Others, such as Gase and Todd Bowles, have been failures. Why should fans think they did it this time? What makes Saleh different from their previous jobs?
When does Woody Johnson return to the team?
Woody Johnson spent the past few days saying goodbye to the United Kingdom on Twitter. His term as US ambassador to the United Kingdom ended on Wednesday, when the new administration took the oath. But no one around the Jets has said how soon he will return to leading the team. Will we receive this answer on Thursday?
Questions for GM Joe Douglas
What is your quarterback plan?
This is the biggest question Douglas is facing, but don’t expect a direct answer. He can’t talk about Deshaun Watson, who is under contract with the Texans. He is not going to talk about project choices. Wait for him to gather some praise for Darnold and dance around anything final.
How much will Saleh say about the staff?
When he started looking for a coach, Douglas said he wanted a partner. That means Saleh should have a say in who’s on the team. This will be a collaborative effort, with Douglas keeping the last word on the 53-man list.
How aggressive will you be in the free agency?
It is estimated that the planes will have over $ 70 million in space with a salary cap. The team has holes everywhere in the list. Douglas was a conservative in the free agency last year. Will there be more of a free spend this year? Saleh desperately needs an improvement in talent if he is to be more successful than Gase was.