New York Jets
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The New York Jets are in full search mode for their next head coach, but who are the best and worst fits? We discuss. 

Ah, the most exciting time of the year, when the New York Jets inevitably fire whoever the stooge was currently holding the head coaching position prior to finding a replacement.

All jokes aside, this is arguably the most important hire the Jets have had in quite some time. So getting it right is of the essence, although I would’ve preferred this team getting it right any of these other times over the last 20 years, but I digress …

We’ve categorized every head coaching candidate that has expressed interest, has been rumored or has set up an interview with the Jets. Enjoy!

Categories: Oh, god no

Jim Caldwell

Initiates gag reflex.

Nothing about Jim Caldwell excites me. Not his drawn on mustache, nor his coattail riding of Peyton Manning when he was the Indianapolis Colts head coach. Wait, he was the Detroit Lions head coach at one point?

The point is Caldwell is a boring hire. He’s a 63-year old man, sat out the 2018 season, has some offensive experience, but overall, totally uninspiring.

If you’re looking for a silver lining, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY had this nugget:

“The fact that he went to the playoffs twice in four years with Detroit is a miracle considering that franchise has had three playoff berths in the last 19 years.”

Adam Gase

If I could have the same initiate gag reflex for two people it would be for Caldwell and Adam Gase.

There’s a connective tissue to these two, both of these coaches at one point in their careers rode the coattails of Peyton Manning. Heck, I could’ve been the offensive coordinator when Manning was the quarterback. I don’t give Gase much or any credit for that.

Gase didn’t develop Ryan Tannehill (he was mostly injured during his stay), the players hated him, and were excited when he left. On that last point, the Dolphins fired Gase. Do you really think Miami missed a diamond in the rough here?

I’m not against retread coaches, despite what you’ve read so far, but both of these would be uninspiring based on the other candidates out there.

Categories: Eh ...

Kris Richard

Kris Richard isn’t a big name among fans (there’s nothing wrong with that by the way), but he apparently has garnered a ton of respect in NFL circles. Some say he’s a future star at head coach, but he comes from a defensive background and has no prior head coaching experience.

That’s not the kind of coach I’m willing to take a gamble on. But later, I’ll tell you who is.

Categories: Go on ...

Todd Monken

Again, here’s another name that Jets nation may not be familiar with, but you better learn quickly.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers promoted then offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter to head coach a few seasons ago, then fired him. Despite how talented (current) offensive coordinator Todd Monken is, from an optics standpoint, it doesn’t seem like the Bucs are enthralled with doing another in-house hire.

All of this could suggest excellent news for the Jets. Monken has a rich history at the collegiate and pro level dating back to the late 1980s and in more recent times, led the Buccaneers to some video game numbers offensively with less than ideal circumstances at quarterback this season: NFL’s third-ranked offense (415.5 yards per game) and the NFL’s best passing attack (320.3).

Eric Bieniemy

The first official person to interview for the Jets job is a sexy name with a sexy background. His name is Eric Bieniemy and he is the offensive coordinator for the red-hot Kansas City Chiefs.

QB Patrick Mahomes had a great year under Bieniemy’s tutelage, completing 383 of 580 passes for 5,097 yards on the year. But Eric didn’t call the plays. That was Andy Reid’s responsibility. Despite that factoid, Reid has quite the track record with his coaching tree: Matt Nagy and Doug Pederson were both prior offensive coordinators in Kansas City and both have had immediate success. Pederson won a Super Bowl in his first season as Philadelphia Eagles head coach and Nagy won the NFC North with the Chicago Bears in his first season.

I almost put Eric Bieniemy in the boom or bust category because, despite all the sexiness around him, he’s never been a head coach at any level and ultimately, he wasn’t the one calling the plays for the Chiefs. It could be a bit too risky for the Jets.

Categories: Safe hire

Mike McCarthy

Certainly, the name jumps off the page and if that doesn’t, his Super Bowl hardware should. It has been a while since Mike McCarthy has won a championship and he’s had one of the game’s premier quarterbacks for the majority of his run with Aaron Rodgers, which has led some to scratch their heads as to why only one championship was accomplished during that time?

The roster around Green Bay hasn’t always been the best, which could play a role. Now, there are two ways to look at Mike McCarthy. Speaking of Andy Reid earlier, maybe things got stale in Green Bay (like they did in Philadelphia with Reid) and he needs a fresh start and can blossom.

Or perhaps the game has passed him by and he doesn’t know where the NFL is heading, in which he could drag the Jets down to hell. But here’s the thing, I don’t think Mike has a high chance of representing a bust. I think he has an incredibly high floor, but his ceiling appears to be much lower than other candidates.

The Jets have to ask themselves, do they want to play it safe or shoot for the stars?

The Jets Zone: Coaching Carousel with Joe Caporoso of TurnOnTheJets

  • Boy Green and Joe Caporoso broke down every candidate the New York Jets are considering for head coach and weighed the pros and the cons:

Categories: Boom or Bust

Kliff Kingsbury

I told you earlier there would be a coach I’d be willing to bet on and his name is Kliff Kingsbury. He’s enjoyed a rich history calling plays for USC … (quick Google search) … so he’s been there for about a month. Whoops, sorry about that.

Well, he was, of course, the head coach at his alma mater Texas Tech for five years from 2013-2018 (he was fired this year or not retained for 2019, whichever you prefer) and finished with a sub-.500 record: 35-40 as a head coach).

Okay, so it’s not all positive with Kliff Kingsbury, which explains the tweet above with the eye rolling from insiders that he would be a viable head coach this offseason. But listen, this is why people are willing to bet on the next Sean McVay:

  • 39-years-old (super young and could be around for a long time if you get it right).
  • An up and coming offensive guru who has worked with the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Baker Mayfield, Davis Webb, and Johnny Manziel.
  • Fun fact: At one point, Kliff Kingsbury was a quarterback for the New York Jets (in 2005 when he completed just one of two passes in his lone appearance.).

He’s the ultimate boom or bust head-coaching prospect. Kliff could be the next Sean McVay or he could flame out and the New York Jets are looking for a new head coach in as little as a season. I’ve got one question for you, are you feeling lucky punk?

People call me Boy Green for my unwavering dedication to all things New York Jets. I work at The Score 1260 in Syracuse and I'm extremely passionate about sports. I aspire to continue my rise through the business and hopefully I'll end up working for the New York Jets in some capacity.