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sports Saturday 16 January 2021

Jets hire 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh as coach

By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. “cast a very wide net” in its
AP Pro Football Writer search. Both Johnson and
NEW YORK (AP) — The New Douglas spoke about find-
York Jets were searching ing a leader, a CEO-type of
for a leader, someone who coach who would oversee
could bring a frustrated, the entire operation of the
playoff-starved franchise team and help re-establish
back to respectability. a culture and identity for
They think they found their the franchise.
guy in Robert Saleh. The 20th coach in franchise
The Jets reached an agree- history, Saleh beat out
ment in principle with the Smith, Kansas City offensive
popular and energetic San coordinator Eric Bieniemy,
Francisco 49ers defensive Carolina offensive coor-
coordinator Thursday night dinator Joe Brady, Buffalo
to hire him as their head offensive coordinator Brian
coach. Saleh replaces Daboll, Indianapolis defen-
Adam Gase, who was fired sive coordinator Matt Eber-
by on Jan. 3 after going flus, New Orleans defensive
9-23 in two seasons. backs coach Aaron Glenn,
The 41-year-old Saleh, be- former Cincinnati coach
lieved to be the first Muslim Marvin Lewis, and Los An-
head coach in NFL history, geles Rams defensive coor-
emerged as a favorite for San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is shown during an NFL football game dinator Brandon Staley.
the Jets job when he was against Arizona Cardinals, in Santa Clara, Calif., in this Sept. 13, 2020, file photo. Associated Press Saleh is the sixth out of the
brought in for a second past seven coaches hired
— and this time, in-person Smith on Wednesday night overall defense this season nese parents, is the the by the Jets to not have
— interview Tuesday night and Thursday morning. despite season-ending in- second minority coach to previous full-time head
and those discussions ex- After Smith left without a juries to pass rushers Nick be hired by the Jets in the coaching experience, with
tended into Wednesday. deal, New York had inter- Bosa — the 2019 AP NFL De- last six years and first since Gase being the exception.
He was the first of the nine nal discussions and opted fensive Rookie of the Year Todd Bowles, who is Black, Bowles was Miami’s interim
known candidates New to hire Saleh. — and Dee Ford, as well in 2015. He’s the fourth ac- coach in 2011. Saleh is also
York interviewed remotely “YESSS SIRRRRRRRRRR,” an as defensive linemen Solo- tive minority coach in the the fourth former defensive
to meet with chairman and excited defensive tackle mon Thomas and Ezekiel NFL, joining Miami’s Brian coordinator to get the job
CEO Christopher Johnson, Quinnen Williams wrote on Ansah. While San Francisco Flores, Washington’s Ron Ri- among New York’s past
team president Hymie Elhai Twitter. Saleh, recognized missed the playoffs, Saleh’s vera and Pittsburgh’s Mike five hires, with Gase again
and general manager Joe as an energetic leader who work with a banged-up Tomlin. the only exception.
Douglas at its facility in Flor- is well liked by his players, and short-handed defense Saleh, who first interviewed With the Jets, Saleh will
ham Park, New Jersey. had been the 49ers’ de- made him a popular can- remotely with the Jets last have plenty of work to do.
Saleh left the Jets and fensive coordinator under didate among the teams Friday, also spoke with De- New York hasn’t made the
met with Philadelphia, Kyle Shanahan since 2017, looking for a coach. troit, Atlanta, Jacksonville postseason since the 2010
which fired Doug Peder- overseeing San Francisco’s “The @nyjets got a great and the Los Angeles Char- season, the NFL’s longest
son on Monday. And New defense that ranked No. 2 one!” 49ers cornerback gers. active playoff drought
York also had an in-person overall on the way to the Richard Sherman tweeted. New York pounced, with both Cleveland and
meeting with Tennessee of- Super Bowl last season. “Congrats to them!” though, after Douglas Tampa Bay getting in this
fensive coordinator Arthur The 49ers ranked fifth in Saleh, the son of Leba- promised the team would season.q

One-city March Madness leads to more straightforward bracket

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — There “But this year only, with the same approach for 3
will be a bit less mystery to the entire tournament be- vs. 6 and 4 vs. 5. The same
the March Madness brack- ing played in Indiana, the “S-curve’ placement will
et now that the NCAA se- committee believes this continue throughout the
lection committee no lon- different approach,” said bracket. The matchups for
ger has to adjust matchups Dan Gavitt the NCAA’s se- the opening-round games
for travel concerns. nior vice president of bas- will not change, with the
With the entire tournament ketball. There could still four lowest-seeded teams
taking place in the India- be exceptions, mainly to meeting in two games and
napolis area this year be- avoid repetitive matchups the last four at-large teams
cause of the coronavirus of conference teams who to make the field meeting
pandemic, the Division I played each other during in the other two.
Men’s Basketball Commit- the regular season. But in There will be 37 at-large
tee announced Friday that general, the committee spots available — one
teams will be bracketed will put the top four overall more this year because of Duke’s Jahlil Okafor (15) and Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky (44)
more closely to their true seeds in separate sections the Ivy League’s cancella- battle for the ball at the tip off during the first half of the NCAA
seeding, 1-68. of the bracket, with the No. tion of its season. Final Four college basketball tournament championship game
In the past, adjustments 1 overall seed in the same Selection Sunday remains in Indianapolis, in this Monday, April 6, 2015, file photo.
were made to keep teams section with the No. 8 over- scheduled for March 14, Associated Press
as close as possible to their all seed, the top No. 2 seed but the NCAA hasn’t an- teams in the same area, densed. The Final Four re-
campuses for the early in the same section with nounced the dates of the there’s a chance the mains set for April 3 and
rounds. the No. 7 overall seed and tournament yet. With all schedule could be con- 5.q