Robert Saleh reveals where 'pressure lies' as Jets head coach

Head coach Robert Saleh still isn't losing sleep over the fact that many expect his New York Jets to compete for more than a playoff berth now that Aaron Rodgers is the club's starting quarterback. 

"Expectations, here, what I’ve learned…It’s 17-0 or you suck," Saleh explained during a Tuesday afternoon appearance on New York sports radio station WFAN, per Ryan Chichester of Audacy. "That goes without saying. That’s not where the pressure lies. It’s in waking up every day and trying to get better. That’s how you get the result that we want and that we expect." 

In Saleh's second season as head coach, the 2022 Jets were 7-5 when popular backup quarterback Mike White, starting in place of the benched Zach Wilson, suffered fractures to his ribs. Gang Green never recovered from that setback and finished the season at 7-10.  

The Jets then officially landed Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers in late April, and multiple New York players have since embraced a "Super Bowl or bust" mentality. 

As for Saleh, he joked last month that he feels more "pressure" being a father of seven children than he does serving as head coach of an advertised contender. 

Perhaps experiences in his personal life will aid Saleh as it pertains to dealing with Rodgers, a future Hall of Famer who turns 40 years old in December. 

"You can hold people accountable and in high regard at the same time," Saleh said about potential future discussions he may have with his new QB1, according to Chichester. "I think the perception of, 'I coach, you play, shut the f up, know your role,' it’s archaic. We’re a team. It’s not a coaches and players division. We’re all in this together. Because, at the end of the day, if we don’t win, we all get fired." 

Saleh, Rodgers and everyone else associated with the Jets seem to be on the same page less than one full month before New York opens the regular season with a home game versus the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 11. 

How Saleh handles things if the Jets stumble at any point this fall could ultimately determine if he's still employed by the organization at this time next year.