With no fewer than four NFL teams looking for a new head coach, the New York Jets are wasting no time looking for Todd Bowles' replacement. What the team has to offer an incoming coach is the opportunity to rebuild this football team in the image of what the coach wants. The starting point for the rebuild will be franchise rookie QB Sam Darnold, who finished his first NFL season with 2,865 yards passing and 17 TDs over just 13 games. Beyond Darnold, it's not clear if anyone else's job is safe.
Late in the 2018 season, initial rumors indicated the Jets were interested in bringing Michigan Wolverines Head Coach Jim Harbaugh back to the NFL, but those rumors seem to have been unfounded. However, current reports indicate the Jets may have interest in former Green Bay Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy. If there was a PA online sports betting line on who would become the Jets' next head coach, McCarthy would be likely favorite.
In 13 seasons with the Packers, McCarthy accumulated a fine record of 125-77-2, which included a Super Bowl victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2010. It's noteworthy that McCarthy and superstar QB Aaron Rodgers led the Packers into the playoffs over eight straight seasons from 2009 to 2016. Unfortunately, the Packers failed to make the playoffs over the past two seasons, which left team ownership wanting to change directions.
For the Jets, McCarthy's reputation for developing young quarterbacks into efficient passing machines has great appeal. Considering Darnold entered the NFL draft after his sophomore season at USC, it's clear the young man has a tremendous amount of upside potential, which could be realized under the right management.
Of course, McCarthy's name in not the only name on the list of potential suitors. To date, Jets management has already met with former Miami Dolphins Head Coach Adam Gase and Kansas City Chiefs Offensive Coordinator Eric Bieniemy. After the great success of the Chiefs' offense over the past two season, Bieniemy's name figures to pop up a lot for head coaching spots over the coming months. Next on the list of scheduled interviews is Dallas Cowboys DB/Passing Game Coordinator Kris Richard and Tampa Bay Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator Todd Monke.
Another interesting name that has recently popped up on the radar is Baylor Bears Head Coach Matt Rhule. While the Bears struggled to a record of 8-17 over Rhule’s first two seasons after coming over from Temple, he does have a reputation for being an offense prodigy. He also has some experience in the NFL when he served as the New York Giants offensive line coach in 2012.
With the 3rd pick in the 2019 NFL draft and lots of holes to fill, the Jets will be aiming to fill its head coaching spot as quickly as possible. As part of the rebuilding process, this should be a low-pressure situation for a head coach to walk into, considering the Jets have lost at least 11 games a year over the last 3 seasons.