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An Islamic group is suing the Jets for firing Robert Saleh after he wore a Lebanon pin during the Israel War

An Islamic group is suing the Jets for firing Robert Saleh after he wore a Lebanon pin during the Israel War

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) was published a statement Tuesday was about the firing of former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh.

CAIR called on the Jets and owner Woody Johnson to explain reports that Saleh was escorted out of the building by security guards after his firing, and also brought up the fact that Saleh was released just days after wearing a Lebanese flag pin In the wake of ongoing attacks, the nation was released by Israel.

Saleh is of Lebanese descent and was the first Muslim head coach in NFL history.

“We commend Coach Robert Saleh for making history as the first American Muslim head coach in NFL history. While no one should jump to conclusions about why the Jets fired coach Saleh, the report that Jets security physically escorted Saleh from the building raises concerns about the possible motive for this unusual hostility – especially given the The fact that Saleh wore a Lebanese flag pin at a game a few days ago and that owner Woody Johnson is a former Trump administration official who has been accused of racially motivated comments. We encourage the Jets to “explain in detail the alleged unusually hostile treatment of Coach Saleh,” the statement said.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Jets multiple times for comment but did not receive a response at the time of publication.

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Robert Saleh and Woody Johnson

New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh and owner Woody Johnson interact during the New York Jets Mandatory Minicamp at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center on June 11, 2024 in Florham Park, New Jersey. (Luke Hales/Getty Images)

Both of Saleh's parents were born in Lebanon and immigrated to the United States before his birth in 1979. Previously, Saleh wore the Lebanese flag on his arm during a game against the Giants, just weeks after Hamas terrorists attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.

Saleh wore the patch the week Peter O'Reilly, the NFL's executive vice president of club business, released a statement asking players to represent their heritage by placing stickers on the back of their helmets with their flags. while coaches attached a patch to their team gear.

Saleh's decision to wear the patch in London on Sunday came amid Israel's ongoing attacks on Lebanon and Gaza in the fight against Hamas and Hezbollah.

CAIR's position that Johnson “was accused of making racially motivated statements” refers to a 2020 investigation that never confirmed whether Johnson made those statements. Johnson has been accused of making racist and sexist comments toward staff while serving as ambassador to the United Kingdom under the Trump administration. Johnson was investigated by the State Department watchdog in July 2020 following the allegations.

Johnson denied the allegations in a post on the US Ambassador to the UK's official X account (then known as Twitter) that same month.

FORMER JETS QUARTERBACK REPEATS AFTER SHOT BETWEEN ROBERT SALEH AND ARRON RODGERS

Woody Johnson looks at the field

New York Jets owner Woody Johnson looks on before a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on October 2, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Joe Sargent/Getty Images)

“I have followed the ethical rules and requirements of my office at all times. These false claims and insensitive comments about race and gender are completely inconsistent with my long-standing career and values,” Johnson wrote.

The results of the investigation were never published.

At the time, Johnson was not associated with the Jets as he attended to his diplomatic duties for Trump. Still, the Jets released a statement regarding the allegations against Johnson, noting that he denied them.

“Since the Johnson family became owners of the New York Jets, the organization has consistently and actively supported, engaged and promoted the development of many different social justice, diversity, women and inclusion initiatives,” the team said in a statement. “One of our core principles is treating employees, players, coaches and fans with respect and dignity, regardless of their race, color, religion or gender. These principles were established by the Johnson family and Woody has implemented them in our organization over the past 20 years.”

Saleh was hired by the Jets in January 2021 while Johnson was in the final month of his stint as ambassador to the United Kingdom. Therefore, the owner did not make the final decision to hire Saleh. It was Johnson's brother, Christopher Johnson, who made the decision to hire Saleh.

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Robert Saleh and Aaron Rodgers

Jets head coach Robert Saleh as the Jets' Aaron Rodgers leaves the field in the first half as the Denver Broncos defeated the New York Jets 10-9 at MetLife Stadium. (Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

When Trump left office and Woody Johnson returned to his duties as Jets owner, he retained Saleh for three straight seasons, none of which resulted in playoff appearances or winning records. Saleh achieved a 20:36 record with New York and never won more than seven games per year as a coach.

When Saleh was fired on Tuesday, the coach was said to have been escorted from the team facility by security forces, according to several reports. The last head coach to be fired the jets, Adam Gase was fired after his sophomore season ended and was reportedly not removed from safety.

The Jets are off to a 2-3 start this year after losing 23-17 to the Minnesota Vikings in London on Sunday, as New York is one of the league's most penalized teams this year. The Jets have struggled this year despite veteran star quarterback Aaron Rodgers starting all five games this season.

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