What is Robert Saleh's ethnicity? Jets HC's background explored

Robert Saleh is Lebanese by descent. The current New York Jets head coach and defensive guru is a trailblazer in the NFL coaching circle. With Saleh's appointment by the Jets, he became the first Muslim head coach in NFL history.

Aside from that, the former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator is the fourth Arab-American head coach of the NFL. Robert Saleh stays true to his roots, and he and his wife speak Arabic.

Robert Saleh's Coaching Career

Robert Saleh got his start in the coaching scene as an offensive assistant for Michigan State University. Saleh was in charge of tight ends and occupied that role for about a year. It's interesting because Saleh made a name for himself as a defensive specialist in the NFL.

His next significant coaching role was with the same school but in a different capacity. Saleh was elevated to defensive assistant with Michigan State, serving as the defensive linesman lynchpin.

Following the 2003 college football season, Saleh left Michigan State to take up the defensive assistant position at Central Michigan University. He worked primarily with the defensive linemen. He stayed with Central Michigan for just one season before rounding up his college coaching career with a stint at the University of Georgia as a defensive assistant—this time with the linebackers department.

During the 2005 NFL season, Robert Saleh jumped to the NFL, accepting the role of defensive intern with the Houston Texans. He was so good in the position that he quickly rose the ranks to become the Texans' defensive quality control coach from 2006 to 2008. Saleh then took up the assistant linebackers coach position in the same franchise from 2009 to 2010.

Following the 2010 NFL season, he finally left the Texans, accepting the defensive quality control coach role with the Seattle Seahawks. He later worked with the Jacksonville Jaguars as a linebackers coach from 2014 to 2016 and as a defensive coordinator with the 49ers from 2017 to 2020.

Saleh was appointed by the New York Jets as head coach on January 14, 2021. He signed a five-year deal with the franchise. Saleh currently has an 11-23 record as a head coach. He will look to have an elite bounce-back year in 2023, especially with Aaron Rodgers as his franchise QB.

Has Robert Saleh won a Super Bowl?

Yes, Robert Saleh has won a Super Bowl game. Saleh did this while being a Seattle Seahawks coaching staff member that defeated the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII.

He was a significant contributor to the Legion of Boom, and his coaching with the Seahawks set him up for a long NFL career. He and Pete Carroll built something special during his time in Seattle.