Reporter disputes story of heated exchange between Jets owner, coach

Did New York Jets coach Robert Saleh recently have a heated exchange with team owner Woody Johnson? That depends on who you ask.

Speaking on the Around The NFL podcast with Dan Hanzus and Marc Sessler, Colleen Wolfe of NFL Media stated that “from a very reliable source,” Saleh and Johnson had a “heated exchange.”

“I will say that at the owner’s meetings, there was a very heated conversation between Woody and Robert Saleh. To the point where it was a little awkward. What were they arguing about?…Hey, who knows? It could have been about anything. Maybe they were disagreeing on how they like their steak cooked. Doubt that, though,” Wolfe said. Her telling of the story begins at the 1:24:14 mark of the podcast.

Connor Hughes of SNY was at the party, close to both Saleh and Johnson. He noted on Wednesday night that no such exchange took place there. He also cited two sources who said that it didn’t take place after.

There was no verbal argument between Robert Saleh and Woody Johnson at the NFL’s annual meeting reception.

I know because I was at the party where this apparently happened, feet from Saleh & Johnson, before Johnson & Jets contingent left. Woody took them out to dinner.…

— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) March 28, 2024

“There was no verbal argument between Robert Saleh and Woody Johnson at the NFL’s annual meeting reception,” Hughes said. I know because I was at the party where this apparently happened, feet from Saleh & Johnson, before Johnson & Jets contingent left. Woody took them out to dinner. Checked in with a two sources at the dinner. Confirmed nothing happened there, either.”

Hughes also noted that while Saleh has taken a lot of criticism, “he always keeps composure publicly.”

Robert Saleh’s been grilled after gut-wrenching losses on the podium with fastball after fastball these last three years. Never once has he lost his cool. He receives justified criticism for a lot, but he always keeps composure publicly.

You guys really think he’s gonna blow up…

— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) March 28, 2024

This doesn’t seem to be a matter where one person may be overreacting — or another underreacting. These are two distinctly different reports. Somebody got their wires crossed here. That much is certain. Hopefully, more clarity regarding what actually did happen will come in the near future.

[Around the NFL on YouTube, Connor Hughes on Twitter/X]