Robert Saleh is asked if wearing the Lebanese flag caused the Jets to shoot – how did he react?

Robert Saleh was seen publicly for the first time since his firing as head coach of the New York Jets.

The former coach was seen shopping at a local Whole Foods store in northern New Jersey this week, in footage obtained by TMZ.

In the footage, Saleh was asked if he believed he wore the Lebanese flag in his final match as the head coach played a role in his dismissal just five games into the season.

Saleh did not answer the question and eventually left.

The Jets fired Saleh after a loss to the Minnesota Vikings in London. Jets president Woody Johnson confirmed he made the decision himself in an Oct. 8 statement.

“It was not an easy decision, but we are not there, given our expectations, and I think now is the best time for us to move in a different direction,” says the press release.

During the defeat in London, Saleh was seen wearing the pin on his jacket. The decision to wear the badge came amid continued attacks on the nation by Israel in the days leading up to the match.

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New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh at MetLife Stadium on December 24, 2023. (Kevin R. Wexler/USA Today Network)

Saleh is of Lebanese descent and was the first Muslim head coach in NFL history. Both of Saleh’s parents were born in Lebanon and immigrated to the United States before his birth in 1979. Saleh previously wore the Lebanese flag on his arm during a game against the Giants, just weeks after the terrorist attack from Hamas against Israel on October 7, 2023.

Saleh wore the patch the week NFL executive vice president of club affairs Peter O’Reilly released a statement encouraging players to represent their heritage via stickers on the back of their helmets with their flags, while coaches added a patch to their team’s equipment.

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New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh congratulates running back Breece Hall and quarterback Aaron Rodgers after a touchdown against the New England Patriots on September 19, 2024, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Shortly after Saleh’s dismissal, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) issued a statement calling on the Jets and Johnson to explain several reports that Saleh would have been escorted from the building by security after his firing, and also discussed the fact that Saleh was fired just days after wearing the pin.

“We congratulate Coach Robert Saleh for making history as the first Muslim American head coach in NFL history. Although no one should jump to conclusions about why the Jets fired coach Saleh, the report that Jets security physically escorted Saleh out of the building raises concerns “about the possible motive for such unusual hostility – especially since Saleh was wearing a Lebanese flag pin. during a match just a few days ago. “

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New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh from the sidelines against the Denver Broncos at MetLife Stadium. (Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images)

Fox News Digital previously reached out to the Jets for comment on CAIR’s statement, but received no response.

Meanwhile, Saleh released his own statement in which he thanked the Jets for his tenure with the team on October 9.

“To the Jets organization, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with so many incredible people. I will always appreciate the love and support from everyone at 1 Jets Drive,” he said. said in a statement to ESPN. “To the most passionate NFL fans, thank you for hugging my family. It has been a pleasure to call New York our home and we will forever appreciate all of the memories that have been made here.”

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