Why Jets' Robert Saleh loved ending Bill Belichick's Patriots tenure with loss

Even though the New York Jets and New England Patriots had little to play for in Week 18 of the 2023 season, Jets head coach Robert Saleh still celebrates his club's 17-3 win in what proved to be Bill Belichick’s final game as head coach of the Patriots.

"It’s the truth," Saleh recently told Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. "I forget what New England’s win streak [over the Jets] was at the time. I think it was like 17 games or whatever the heck it was [it was 15]. New England had that big win streak on us, and we kind of had an idea that it was going to be their last game as a regime."

Saleh's comments aren't particularly surprising, as Jets players previously discussed wanting to erase the club's 15-game losing streak to the rival Patriots. Jets linebacker Quincy Williams insisted before the contest that players inside the Gang Green locker room weren't already on vacation even though New York entered the matchup at 6-10.

As for the Patriots, it was widely believed at the time that team owner Robert Kraft would move on from Belichick after New England missed the playoffs for a third time in four years. Kraft and Belichick "mutually" agreed to part ways following the campaign.

"Our guys attacked it," Saleh added about the Week 18 victory. "Playing in a snowstorm to grind out the amount of rushing yards [185] we did against a really, really good run defense and play the type of game that we played defensively and special teams, it was a great way to finish."

Fans often want losing teams to "tank" at the end of seasons with future draft classes in mind, but Saleh offered yet another reminder that players and coaches rarely share such a mindset. While Saleh has been in his role since January 2021, he's still attempting to improve the culture of a franchise that's responsible for the longest active playoff drought among the four major North American sports leagues. 

Interestingly, some think Belichick could replace Saleh if the Jets don't end their postseason drought this coming January.