Robert Saleh has yet to run a single practice as Jets head coach and he likely already has a better hold of the locker room than Adam Gase ever did in his two years with the team.
Saleh’s goals were made clear during his introductory press conference Thursday. He wants to win championships, and he wants to do so with a process that requires an “all gas, no brake” mentality in which daily improvement is the key.
He also wants to do everything in his power to take care of his players — especially financially.
Saleh went out of his way to note that he wants New York’s players to “get paid as much as possible.” It’s not his job to hand out contracts, but with effective coaching, Saleh has the power to help his players maximize their earning potential once it comes time for them to negotiate a new deal.
“It’s an absolute joy to see them get to the pinnacle of their career where they can get second contracts and get rewarded,” Saleh said, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini.
Players often say winning is everything, but money remains king at the end of the day. Whether they are willing to admit it or not, every player wants to be in a position to land a lucrative contract at some point in their career. There is now a head coach in place at One Jets Drive who is intent on making that happen for each player on his team.
There is no doubt that Saleh’s words resonated with New York’s players and won him his fair share of early fans in the locker room. He does not just want to win big, he wants to win big and keep his players happy. That is not exactly what Jets players have been used to since 2019.
Yes, Saleh is here to turn the Jets from AFC bottom-feeders to perennial contenders, but he is going to go about doing so in a way that will also take the locker room and getting the best out of it into account. As long as he does his job and coaches the team up as well as expected, New York’s players are going to be celebrating more than just wins on most weekends.
And, if Saleh follows through on his plan, they’re going to cashing sizeable paychecks, too.