Popular Post NYJets8 106 Posted January 15 Popular Post Share Posted January 15 By David K. Li The New York Jets hired San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh to be their new head coach, making him the first Muslim to run an NFL sideline, the team announced Thursday night. "We've reached an agreement in principle with Robert Saleh to become our head coach," the Jets said in a statement. Saleh has spent the past four years in Santa Clara, California, transforming the 49ers' defense from a onetime laughingstock to one of football's most elite units. He'll take over a team that won just two of 16 games this past season and hasn't made the playoffs since the 2010-11 campaign. The Jets have just one Super Bowl title in franchise history, the famed Joe Namath guarantee of Jan. 12, 1969. Recommended U.S. NEWSVirginia gang killer executed by U.S. despite Covid infection Before Saleh, 41, a native of Dearborn, Michigan, was hired by the Jets, no Muslim had ever been an NFL head coach, according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, a Muslim civil rights advocacy group. "We welcome this development as another sign of the increasing inclusion and recognition of American Muslims in our diverse society," CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper said in a statement late Thursday. Saleh, whose family traces its roots to Lebanon, will be third Arab American NFL head coach, following in the footsteps of Abe Gibran and Rich Kotite, who are both of Lebanese descent, according to the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. Gibran was head coach of the Chicago Bears for three seasons, 1972 to 1974. Kotite ran the Philadelphia Eagles for four seasons (1991-94) and the Jets for two seasons (1995-96). Saleh brings considerable credentials to his new job in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Before he took over the 49ers' defense in 2017, San Francisco had ranked dead last in total yards surrendered. The 49ers were 24th and 13th in total defense in Saleh's first two years in charge, before the crew ranked second and fifth in the league the last two seasons. This season's accomplishments were particularly impressive in light of the staggering number of injuries that prevented many of Saleh's best players from taking the field. David K. Li David K. Li is a breaking news reporter for NBC News. 6 Link to post Share on other sites
Popular Post prime21 5,628 Posted January 15 Popular Post Share Posted January 15 4 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Prodigal Syndicate 758 Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 Awesome. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Popular Post DJF71 1,407 Posted January 15 Popular Post Share Posted January 15 Who cares. I just hope he is a good coach. I don't care about his religion. 16 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Popular Post Wonderboy 4,567 Posted January 15 Popular Post Share Posted January 15 10 minutes ago, DJF71 said: Who cares. I just hope he is a good coach. I don't care about his religion. Good to know he's a man of faith because its going to take a miracle to get this team straightened out. 1 8 Link to post Share on other sites
Popular Post The Gun Of Bavaria 208,697 Posted January 15 Popular Post Share Posted January 15 There are a lot of jealous Lions fans around me right now...everyone here wanted him for both his talent and his hometown kid background. If you know anything about Dearborn, where's he from, you know hard his community works and how much they love being an American. I'm excited for him to bring his work ethic and most importantly, some passion to the sidelines. He's just the guy to inject some life into this team. It's going to be a fun ride. 7 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites
docdhc 4,134 Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 3 hours ago, NYJets8 said: Saleh, whose family traces its roots to Lebanon, will be third Arab American NFL head coach, following in the footsteps of Abe Gibran and Rich Kotite, who are both of Lebanese descent, according to David K. Li David K. Li is a breaking news reporter for NBC News. Super psyched for this hire! Just don’t like him being mentioned in the same sentence as Rich Kotite! 1 Link to post Share on other sites
usanyj 1,073 Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 I don’t care what he believes in, looks like, any of it. If you win I’ll love you, if you don’t, I’ll want you fired. 3 Link to post Share on other sites
New York Mick 95,339 Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 Who gives a fck? 3 Link to post Share on other sites
Irish Jet 236,802 Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 Jets are winning the Superbowl. Inshallah. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites
freestater 12,321 Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 And here I thought the jets were haram. 3 Link to post Share on other sites
redlichtie 1,281 Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 But is he a CEO type?? Link to post Share on other sites
southparkcpa 7,941 Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 3 minutes ago, freestater said: And here I thought the jets were haram. That’s us.... the fans, normally getting fukked. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
32EBoozer 6,452 Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 Good news! Not sure he’ll be a successful head coach but I like his energy. I’ll have to trust JD on this one Link to post Share on other sites
chrisfaceoff 1,412 Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 That’s awesome he and the Jets together broke a barrier and are showing a beacon for change in this league, and with my next statement I don’t want to have that seem like I’m downplaying the importance of such a first: I don’t want him to be thought of as the first Muslim coach. I want him to be judged, applauded, recognized, and (hopefully never) criticized on his own merits as a man and a coach. Hopefully he wants that too. very happy with this hire and hopefully the future success he finds like we all believe he can, will normalize potential minority hires so we don’t have to beg teams to do it by giving them compensatory draft picks. that’s how this league and hopefully the country move forward. Go Jets! 1 Link to post Share on other sites
New York Mick 95,339 Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 40 minutes ago, LockeJET said: He’s thanking the wrong prophet 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Warfish 29,079 Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 I’ve never once though about a coaches faith. Just hope he’s a good coach. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Blackout 63,373 Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 I was hoping for a Buddhist coach but this will do 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites
New York Mick 95,339 Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 2 minutes ago, Blackout said: I was hoping for a Buddhist coach but this will do A Buddhist would be too peaceful Link to post Share on other sites
Biggs 10,270 Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 After 50 plus years in the desert who better than someone with roots in the ME? Dune messiah. The chosen one. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Jetster 13,321 Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 I thought he was just an American? Did the media announce the 1st Polish coach? Irish? They wonder why this country is so damn divided! It's this identity politics. Can a guy just get hired anymore without this sh*t? Not one Jet fan including myself gives two f*cks about this guys ethnicity. I only care whether this dude can coach...that's it! 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Biggs 10,270 Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 1 minute ago, Jetster said: I thought he was just an American? Did the media announce the 1st Polish coach? Irish? They wonder why this country is so damn divided! It's this identity politics. Can a guy just get hired anymore without this sh*t? Not one Jet fan including myself gives two f*cks about this guys ethnicity. I only care whether this dude can coach...that's it! If it makes you feel better he also identifies as an earthling. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Tranquilo 203 Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 11 minutes ago, Jetster said: I thought he was just an American? Did the media announce the 1st Polish coach? Irish? They wonder why this country is so damn divided! It's this identity politics. Can a guy just get hired anymore without this sh*t? Not one Jet fan including myself gives two f*cks about this guys ethnicity. I only care whether this dude can coach...that's it! So defensive... 2 Link to post Share on other sites
The Crusher 219,753 Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 Yeah, not here please. Thank you, 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites
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