Getty New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh reacts in the middle of an NFL game.
Sorry, what?
New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh was seemingly searching for answers when he was asked a very direct question about why he shouldn’t try veteran backup Trevor Siemian instead of Zach Wilson.
“No, I have you. No, that’s, um, another fair question. Again, like I said, he… he… I don’t know. You heard me, I’m going to plead the fifth in this whole thing, just, I kind of explained it [in a prior answer] Respectful of course, but they are legitimate questions. I know of a passionate fan, fans who are passionate and all have the same questions. I respect it very much. But I have to look at it from a global standpoint and just see where we are and look at the All-22 as best as I can and make the best decisions possible,” Saleh tried to explain during an appearance on The Michael Kay Show. “
Oh wow…@RealMichaelKay directly asked #Jets HC Robert Saleh why he shouldn’t try Trevor Siemian and Zach Wilson at QB?
Saleh paused, seemed nervous, tried to answer and then said: “I don’t know… you heard me, I’m going to refer to the fifth point in this matter.” 😳 “They are valid… pic.twitter.com /dJDqxMI2n7.”
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) November 7, 2023
Who calls the shots in the Jets’ starting QB decision?
After Saleh went off the air for his weekly radio hit, one of the hosts, Don La Greca, said he had an idea of what really happened during the interview.
“That was a man [Saleh] trying to answer a question addressed to someone else. I feel like someone is telling him you have to go [Zach] Wilson in. I don’t know if it’s Woody [Johnson]I don’t know if it’s Joe Douglas, but his ass [Saleh’s] is at stake because he will lose his job before Joe Douglas,” La Greca said on Tuesday, November 7th.
“He is in no position to bench someone if the rest of the organization is against it. I fully believe he would make the change in a second, I don’t think he’s allowed to do that. I’ve never heard that from anyone, I just get a feeling from listening to him and seeing how he handled it in the past when his job was on the line. It feels like it wasn’t his decision.”
When speaking to the media before his radio interview, Saleh seemed open to a possible quarterback change if Wilson was the only problem. However, he believes it’s a “collective problem” that doesn’t just affect Zach.
Saleh said “it was lazy” to blame Wilson for everything. Instead, he pointed to the penalties, drops and even some play calls as other reasons the Jets lost the Week 9 game against the LA Chargers.
Saleh’s call on the QB plan suggests no change is imminent
Currently, the Jets only have two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, Wilson and Tim Boyle. They also have Trevor Siemian on the practice squad.
Saleh was asked if he would consider promoting Siemian this week for the Las Vegas Raiders’ Week 10 game, and he answered bluntly: “No, not at this time.”
Although Rich Cimini previously posted on Twitter that Saleh said on Tuesday that he could still change his mind. If the Jets were to promote Siemian from the practice squad, “they wouldn’t have to make that move until Saturday. Things can change.”
When asked if he was thinking about adding Trevor Siemian to the active roster, Saleh replied: “Not at this time.”
You wouldn’t have to take this step until Saturday. Things can change. #Jets
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) November 7, 2023
Barring a last-second change, it appears Wilson will once again be named QB1 for a crucial AFC Conference game against the Raiders on Sunday Night Football.
Paul A. Esden Jr. covers the New York Jets for Heavy.com. The New York native is also the official PA voice of the Syracuse Strong Football Club and co-host of Cumulus Media’s morning show “The Manchild Show with Boy Green.” Prior to joining Heavy in 2021, Esden Jr. covered both national and New York City sports for FanSided, Elite Sports NY and The Score 1260. More about Paul A. Esden Jr.