Questions about a head coach’s termination made one longtime radio personality suspicious of the NFL team’s owner’s concerns about Middle East optics.
(Video Credit: Jake Asman)
With one year remaining on his contract, the New York Jets dismissed Robert Saleh Tuesday as “Gang Green” treated their head coach as though he were gangrenous. However, a losing record with the team wasn’t the only reason that former WFAN radio host Joe Benigno suspected was behind the termination as he pointed to Saleh’s Lebanese heritage.
During an appearance on “The Jake Asman Show,” the host of the “Oh the Pain” podcast brought up the sleeve patch seen on the coach’s sweatshirt when the Jets played the Minnesota Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
“I gotta say something else, and I hate to get political, but I have to in this case,” contended Benigno. “Saleh had the flag of Lebanon on his shirt the other day in London.”
“Now, we all know what’s going on in the Middle East. There is no sugarcoating of what’s going on in the Middle East. We all know about Hezbollah firing all these rockets out of Lebanon, and all what’s going on there, into Israel,” he continued. “We know he is Muslim. I think he is representing the people of Lebanon because I don’t believe the people of Lebanon really are happy with Hezbollah. I don’t think that’s the case at all. And I wonder if that has played into this in a way as well, because… I did see this on the regular news that this was actually brought up.”
While a number of people had brought up the patch worn by the coach born to Lebanese parents as the world marked one year since the Hamas terror attack on Israel, others were quick to point out that Sunday wasn’t the first time during his 20-36 losing record with the Jets that he’d displayed the standard, a part of the NFL Heritage Program.
The Lebanese flag, Robert Saleh rumor right now is wild. Needs to be put to sleep.
The league is encouraging players and coaches to represent their heritage. Robert Saleh is … Lebanese. He did this last year, too.
It has absolutely nothing to do with his firing. #Jets
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) October 8, 2024
Guys he did it last year
— Bobby Silver (@BobbySilver_) October 8, 2024
He’s 20-36 as a head coach. He’s terrible
— Strong Island (@fatchabella1) October 8, 2024
It’s telling that this tweet is still up despite countless Jets fans pointing out that Saleh, who is Lebanese, has worn the Lebanese flag for multiple seasons. The statement is serving its conspiratorial political purpose; veracity not required. pic.twitter.com/1GXFq14S4g
— Yair Rosenberg (@Yair_Rosenberg) October 8, 2024
Sunday’s loss was the second consecutive one of the season, but the team was at 2-3 when Saleh was canned Tuesday.
While he did not get into specifics, co-owner Woody Johnson did release a statement and said, “This morning, I informed Robert Saleh that he will no longer serve as the Head Coach of the Jets. I thanked him for his hard work these past three-and-a-half years and wished him and his family well moving forward. This was not an easy decision, but we are not where we should be given our expectations, and I believe now is the best time for us to move in a different direction.”
“Jeff Ulbrich will serve as our Interim Head Coach for the remainder of the season,” the heir to the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical fortune continued. “He is a tough coach who has the respect of the coaches and players on this team. I believe he along with the coaches on this staff can get the most out of our talented team and attain the goals we established this offseason.”
— New York Jets (@nyjets) October 8, 2024
DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW
Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
- Rogan fired up that liberal policies are allowing monsters to eat our house pets - December 17, 2025
- Customer bullies Target employee over Charlie Kirk shirt, but it doesn’t go quite as planned - December 17, 2025
- Merrick Garland lied about Mar-a-Lago raid recently declassified emails show - December 17, 2025
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
BPR INSIDER COMMENTS
Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!
