New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh. Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Jets' Robert Saleh wants 'taking receipts' claim to 'go away'

New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh would prefer if his "taking receipts" vow from September would disappear despite the team's 5-2 start to the season. 

"I kind of want it to go away, I’m not going to lie to you," Saleh responded when asked Wednesday about quotes that went viral after the club's 24-9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1, per the Jets' website. "You guys know me. It was a little off-character because I try to keep a measured response up here, but that’s more for them. I just want it to go away."

Saleh declared on multiple occasions following the season-opening defeat that he was "taking receipts" of what critics were saying about the Jets at that time. He later explained he was merely "defending the locker room" with his words, and multiple players backed Saleh regarding comments that were considered controversial among some fans and media members. 

The Jets have since won five of six games. 

"Because you just want to go play football, eliminate all distractions," Saleh remarked when asked a follow-up question on Wednesday. "You try your best to keep all of the distractions on me and out of the locker room. That’s basically what my whole charge is, to keep the locker room clean, so that it can play fast and think free and think about football only. Whatever I have to do to make sure that happens, I’ll do.

"I think our guys are in a really good place mentally. We’re still going to face adversity as the year goes on. I think we have such a cool group of guys who love this game and really appreciate one another and how hard each other works. I think they’re doing a good job of ignoring noise. That’s about it." 

Whatever Saleh and his staff are doing, it's clearly working ahead of Sunday's home divisional matchup against the 3-4 New England Patriots.

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