The Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR) released a statement on Tuesday addressing the firing of former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh.
CAIR called on the Jets and owner Woody Johnson to explain reports that Saleh was escorted out of the building by security following his firing, and also brought up the fact that Saleh was fired just days after wearing a pin with the Lebanese flag amid ongoing attacks on the nation by Israel.
Saleh is of Lebanese descent and was the first Muslim head coach in NFL history.
“We commend Coach Robert Saleh for making history as the first American Muslim head coach in NFL history. Although no one should jump to conclusions about why the Jets fired Coach Saleh, the report that Jets security physically escorted Saleh out of the building does raise concerns about the possible motive for such unusual hostility—especially given that Saleh wore a Lebanese flag pin at a game just days ago and that owner Woody Johnson is a former Trump administration official who has been accused of making racially charged remarks. We encourage the Jets to thoroughly explain its unusually hostile reported treatment of Coach Saleh,” the statement read.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Jets for comment multiple times but has not received a response at the time of publication.
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Head coach Robert Saleh and Owner Woody Johnson of the New York Jets interact during New York Jets Mandatory Minicamp at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center on June 11, 2024 in Florham Park, New Jersey. (Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Both of Saleh’s parents were born in Lebanon and immigrated to the United States ahead of his birth in 1979. Saleh previously wore the Lebanese flag on his arm during a game against the Giants, just weeks after Hamas terrorists attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
Saleh wore that patch during the week that NFL executive vice president of club business Peter O’Reilly released a statement encouraging players to represent their heritage via decals to the back of their helmets with their flags, while coaches added a patch to their team gear.
Saleh’s decision to wear the patch in London on Sunday came amid Israel’s ongoing strikes on Lebanon and Gaza as it seeks to combat Hamas and Hezbollah.
CAIR’s point that Johnson “has been accused of making racially charged remarks,” references an investigation in 2020 that never confirmed whether Johnson made those remarks. Johnson was accused of making racist and sexist comments to staff while serving as an ambassador to the United Kingdom under the Trump administration. Johnson was investigated in July 2020 by the State Department watchdog after the allegations.
Johnson denied the allegations in a post on the official X (then known as Twitter) account for the U.S. ambassador to the U.K. that same month.
FORMER JETS QUARTERBACK REVISITS AWKWARD HUG BETWEEN ROBERT SALEH, ARRON RODGERS AFTER FIRING
New York Jets owner Woody Johnson looks on before a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on October 2, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
“I have followed the ethical rules and requirements of my office at all times. These false claims of insensitive remarks about race and gender are totally inconsistent with my longstanding record and values,” Johnson wrote.
The investigation’s findings have never been made public.
At the time, Johnson was not involved with the Jets, as he was tending to his diplomatic duties for Trump. Still, the Jets released a statement regarding the allegations against Johnson and noted his denial of them.
“Since the Johnson family became owners of the New York Jets, the organization has consistently and actively supported, engaged and encouraged the development of many different social justice, diversity, women’s, and inclusion initiatives,” the team said in a statement. “One of our fundamental principles is treating employees, players, coaches and fans with respect and dignity, regardless of their race, color, religion, or gender. These principles have been established by the Johnson family, which Woody implemented in our organization over the past 20 years.”
Saleh was hired by the Jets in January 2021 while Johnson was in the final month of his duties as ambassador to the U.K. Therefore, the owner did not make the final decision to hire Saleh. It was Johnson’s brother, Christopher Johnson, who made the decision to hire Saleh.
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Jets head coach Robert Saleh as Aaron Rodgers of the Jets walks off the field in the first half as the Denver Broncos edged the New York Jets 10-9 at MetLife Stadium. (Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
When Trump left office and Woody Johnson returned to his duties as Jets owner, he kept Saleh employed for three straight seasons, none of which resulted in trips to the playoffs or winning records. Saleh went 20-36 with New York and never won more than seven games a year while at the helm.
Then, when Saleh was fired on Tuesday, the coach was reportedly escorted out of the team facility by security, according to multiple reports. The most recent head coach to be fired by the Jets, Adam Gase, was fired after the conclusion of his second season and was reportedly not removed by security.
The Jets were off to a 2-3 start this year after losing to the Minnesota Vikings 23-17 in London on Sunday, as New York is among the most penalized teams in the league this year. The Jets have struggled this year despite veteran star quarterback Aaron Rodgers starting all five games this season.
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Jackson Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital. He previously worked for ESPN and Business Insider. Jackson has covered the Super Bowl and NBA Finals, and has interviewed iconic figures Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Mike Trout, David Ortiz and Roger Clemens.
