The Jets have reached an agreement for Robert Saleh, the defensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers, to become their next head coach, the team announced Thursday, and — if all goes well — to lead the team out of a stupor that has left it without a postseason appearance for the past decade and as the butt of a running joke.
Saleh, 41, who is of Lebanese descent, is believed to be the first Muslim Arab American head coach of an N.F.L. team.
Saleh is not the Jets’ first nonwhite head coach: The team was also run by Herm Edwards (2001-5) and Todd Bowles (2015-18) who are both Black.