FLORHAM PARK, NJ – This time the New York Jets will try something different. Rather than bolster one side of the ball, which they tried unsuccessfully two years ago with the hiring of the attacking Adam Gase, CEO Christopher Johnson said on Monday they will look for a head coach who can boost the entire team.
“I don’t really like the term ‘CEO’, but it does describe what we’re looking for,” said Johnson. “We want a head coach who coaches the whole team and its staff. You don’t have to be offensive, you don’t have to be defensive. This is a coach for the whole team. That’s very important for us to look ahead.”
The Jets have requested permission to interview at least four candidates – offensive coordinators Eric Bieniemy (Kansas City Chiefs), Brian Daboll (Buffalo Bills) and Arthur Smith (Tennessee Titans) and defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus (Indianapolis Colts), sources said. There will be more requests in the coming days.
Johnson predicted a “broad and deep” search that could take several weeks. This is a 2019 departure, when they focused on offensive coaches who could nurture quarterback Sam Darnold. That did not work. The Jets went 9-23 under Gase, whose attack finished 32nd in both seasons. He was fired on Sunday night.
Johnson tacitly admitted that he was not concerned with the structure under Gase, which gave former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams full autonomy on that side of the ball.
“We’ve seen that in action,” Johnson said. “I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad way to do things, but in our case I think we can do better.”
General manager Joe Douglas will lead the search – another departure for the franchise. In previous searches, the Jets hired consultants and a headhunting company. With the recruitment of Gase, Johnson took the lead. This time around, he will rely on his top footballer, even though Douglas, hired in 2019, never hired a head coach.
“Joe is the GM we’ve been looking for for years,” said Johnson. “I have a lot of faith in him. If we can get this coaching recruitment right, and I think we will, then I think we can be a team that no one will want to see on their schedule next year. where we can go with that. “
Aside from hiring a coach, the Jets’ biggest decision concerns the quarterback. Johnson gave incumbent Sam Darnold a vote of confidence, saying he wants Darnold on the team. But he quickly noted that he will let Douglas and the new coach make the decision. Johnson once said the same about Jamal Adams’ security, which was eventually traded.
“I’m a huge fan of Sam,” said Johnson. “I think he’s a great QB. I think he has really great talent and drive and leadership. … I don’t think the book was written about Sam. He has a very bright future, and I personally hope it will this is about team, that’s what I told him [Sunday] evening after the game. “
Darnold, who struggled in his third season, could be replaced by a rookie, as the Jets are second-choice in the 2021 NFL draft. On Monday, he reiterated that he wants to finish his career with the Jets.
“I want to turn this thing over,” Darnold said. “I believe we can.”
On cleaning day, different players dealt with the same theme: the team must improve its culture. In a team meeting, Johnson and Douglas emphasized to the players that the priority is to find a coach who can achieve that.