“Jets' Robert Saleh planned to strip Nathaniel Hackett of his officiating duties”

Robert Saleh was fired on Tuesday, but the Jets' head coaching change wasn't the only big change discussed. The status of the offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett should change shortly before Saleh's dismissal.

According to a report from CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones, the fourth-year head coach “seriously” considered the idea of ​​firing Hackett. That decision may have already been made on Tuesday, but given the events that have taken place since then, that is of course no longer possible. Hackett's job is secure, although his role could change soon.

(RELATED: Woody Johnson Denies Rodgers Played Role in Saleh Firing)

SNY's Connor Hughes refutes Jones' report and states that firing Hackett was never actually an option. He and Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio add that Saleh, however, planned to strip the much-maligned OC of his playing commitments before Week 6. Would Saleh have implemented this plan and overtaken the game coordinator? Todd Downing would have played if Hackett had remained on New York's staff. The latter has faced questions throughout his tenure in New York as the team was looking for an offensive player to mentor him this offseason.

It was later learned that it was the former Falcons head coach Arthur Smith was one of the coaches contacted by the Jets about such a role. He declined interest from the team before ultimately accepting the Steelers' OC gig. That left Hackett – a close friend of the quarterback Aaron Rodgers who had a successful run with him in Green Bay – in charge of an offense that struggled mightily in 2023. Rodgers' Achilles tear in Week 1 caused the coaching staff (along with the general manager) Joe Douglas) a mulligan for the current season, but things haven't gone according to plan on offense so far.

A healthy Rodgers (at least aside from the ankle sprain he suffered on Sunday and the knee injury he dealt with the week before) raised renewed expectations for Hackett's unit. However, the Jets so far rank 23rd in offensive DVOA, compared to 12th in defense by the same metric. There was no optimism among players and coaches about improvement if Hackett remained in charge of the offense and remained its owner Woody Johnson has criticized the former Broncos head coach's recent performances. Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich didn't immediately say who will be in charge when he takes over the 2-3 team.

Should Downing be tapped for that role, he would be able to lead an offense for the first time since his tenure with the Titans ended in 2022. The 44-year-old was retained by the organization following a drunk driving arrest in November of that year, but he was fired at the end of the campaign. In 2021, Tennessee ranked middle-of-the-pack in scoring and total offense, but the following year the team fell to 30th and 28th in those departments, respectively. Still, Downing quickly managed to land his current job with the Jets and he could be in line for additional duties.

Since Saleh was fired just minutes after announcing his game selection plan, according to Hughes' report, it will certainly be interesting to see if Ulbrich puts it into action. However, if Hackett remains in control of the offense, he will undoubtedly face increased scrutiny as the Jets attempt to transition from the Saleh era to the playoffs.