Few NFL coaches know Robert Saleh as well as Kyle Shanahan, which is why the latter is so confident the former will embrace his new starring role in HBO's "Hard Knocks" series.
"Saleh will act like he doesn't like it, but he'll enjoy it," Shanahan told NFL Network's Colleen Wolfe and Steve Mariucci last week. "He'll make sure he lifts [weights] before the camera is on. He'll be cleanly shaven."
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The new season of "Hard Knocks" featuring the New York Jets debuted last Tuesday, and the five-part series airs each Tuesday until the Sept. 5 finale.
Saleh is beginning his third season as the Jets' head coach after spending four years as Shanahan's defensive coordinator in San Francisco. New York went 4-13 in Saleh's first season and 7-10 last year, with the biggest leap expected this season now that four-time NFL MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers is in the fold.
Saleh already has been showing off in front of the "Hard Knocks" cameras, serenading his players with an epic speech during last Tuesday's debut episode.
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It's safe to assume that Shanahan will be texting Saleh during each "Hard Knocks" episode to give him grief about his appearance or antics during the show.