Darren Mougey - King Maker?

I haven't been around in a while, thought I'd add a thought about Mougey.
Obviously, I'm not sold on him yet, being a Jets' fan, but what I like best about him... he seems to be building two teams, a team for 2026, and one for beyond. This is very new to me, being a Jets' fan.
We'll get more of an idea of the beyond, with the draft.
If not for Geno reflux I'd be really looking forward to the Jets 2026 incarnation.
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WATCH THE WHOLE THING ! ! !

 

We still have $100 mil of dead cap.

If Mougey can get us in the playoffs in a couple years he deserves a lot of credit.

He still needs to find a real head coach.

 

It's not his decision. Woody's alone unfortunately.

 

Yeah…will be interesting to see how this all plays out. I’m very down on AG, not only because I think last year’s results were beyond terrible, and more than just the shit win-loss record, but also because every time I hear him speak he says literally nothing of substance. He gives you NO comfort that he understands what is wrong let alone how to fix it. He sounds like an old school meathead type coach who utters bullshit phrases like “calling plays is my superpower”, “play our brand of football”, etc. Nothing. I listen to other coaches and they dissect plays…they have post game recall of specific plays (“yeah, on that play the QB was supposed to read this first then this but the receiver missed the adjustment and the QB didn’t adjust”…shit like that). I can’t imagine AG being able to utter those words.

Mougey, on the other hand, actually sounds like he knows what the fuck he’s doing, at least on every press conference I’ve seen.

So who knows, this isn’t specifically about press conferences but the point is, when you hear these guys talk, one of them sounds like he knows a lot and the other sounds like he doesn’t know jack fucking shit.

I hope AG shows that’s not the case, but until we see better performance on the field, I will not be convinced. And I’m not necessarily looking for “better performance” in terms of wins right away…but the team should play hard, they should play disciplined, they should look like they know their assignments, they should not get blown out by halftime, etc. Baby steps.

But agreed…AG needs to show improvement this year.

 

He did say something he hasn't said before, like we need to be sound schematically, something like that, which is a big departure from before when he made a point it wasn't about Xs and Os. Also him deciding to call plays was another logical move I called for and he did it.

Firing Tanner was a ballsy move, which I also respect. I wsa more down on Tanner than most of the board, but thought it was not an obvious call to demote him, but given how no one else offered him OC interview, including two other coaches he worked for who needed an OC, it looks like he made the right call there. So, for all the stupid talk, like super powers and promise lands, maybe he actually learned. At least I hope so!

 

I'm super down on AG. Look at the placid shit he trotted out there last year. I get it, you can't burn a whole roster in one season but, damn. As a former player I expected MORE from him from a talent evaluation perspective. It's already clear he doesn't have "it" when it comes to press conferences and talking to the press. Some do, some don't. If you don't, recognize that and keep your answers honest and succinct. Don't stand up there a bullshit people or, worse, be an asshole to people who only want to know the direction of the team or a result from a game. NO ONE likes a smart ass and he's got that in spades. I digress from my original point. I thought AG was going to be MUCH better, from a football perspective, than he put on display. The X's and O's is where he, in my mind, fails the most! Which, as I mentioned being a former player, he should have down in his sleep! As far as I'm concerned, AG doesn't win 8 games he's gone at the end of the year. And those 8 games better be ass whuppin's. Period. His "leash" is nil at this point. To be frank, I don't expect him to survive the 2026 season.

 

I actually like your point about the press conferences a lot. I agree…that’s not how we should measure a coach…in the end, winning matters and press conferences don’t. So it’s not like I’m judging him by the press conferences. It’s more what you said…the bullshitting and the asshole-ness. Belichick can be a total fucking dick in a conference and so what? He’ll show you all his Super Bowl rings. AG hasn’t done ANYTHING to earn that kind of respect. So don’t come in here acting like the press is so off base when they ask you real questions about the shit you put out on the field. THAT is what bugs me. It bothers me because of what it says about him as a leader, not because he’s mean to some reporters. It says he doesn’t know enough to have a real discussion. So, yeah, I like your point…just be honest and succinct.

I don’t know why it bothers me so much but it just does…my bullshit meter is way in the red zone with him…

 

Right! I like that..."Bullshit Meter"

Yeah, Glenn's Bullshit Meter hovers right around 90 - 100% bullshit!

 

I couldn’t agree more. Spot on

 

Last year AG came into the Jets in a blaze of glory based on Detroits record and his relationship with Woody as a prior Jet. His head got big and acted as he was running the show and the GM was someone to help him fill the roster based on his vision. Even our dysfunctional owner blundered him as AG side kick without recognizing Mouge was head and shoulders the strategy expert over those two blow hards. AG personally ousted AR on ego alone, in the most unprofessional matter simply because he feared he was not able to control him, creating not just a financial nightmare for Moug but compounding it by bringing in Fields, and a bad set of coaches. His defense was putrid and the rest is history.
He is the one hanging on a thread now, managing the D and must show something for a change, and Moug is well on his way to a long term plan that is completely independent of who the HC will be in the future. AG got a major dose of humble pie and has everything to loose.

 

Good points there, but AG did do one important thing, which is to bring in Mooge in spite of Tanny trying to pair him with Newmark, which I was worried was as bad a choice for GM as AG was for a HC. Tanny and Woody really fucked this GM/HC search up in a bad way. But AG said no to Newmark and picked the guy recommended by Sean Payton in Mooge. That was big. He also picked Banjo on a recommendation from Westhoff, which was a good move. I also don't have a problem how he dealt with Rodgers or trying out a lottery ticket in young QB with 11th overall draft pedigree who had some success before. Even the roster itself, nearly the same defense finished slightly below average a year ago and was top 10 with Bob.

The biggest problem with AG is the actual coaching: for the most part the coaches he picked, and in general the team did not look well coached. I must say the fact he has replaced all the coaches and took over the defense himself while replacing a lot of defense to fit his schemes, plus saying he wants to be sound schematically, is encouraging. Now, given what happened last year, in spite of that the probability of success is low. 6-7 win season or so to me is a not a success, but the worst case scenario perhaps. I want to see us competing for the play-offs this year.

 

This is a pivotal year for AG, and he better start by coaching a much better D.

 

you are correct but damn how do we always end up in this situation. The coach pulling and the GM pushing.

It does not work that way in other organizations. Some yes, but many are able to have everyone on the same page with the same goals and accountable timelines.

I guess it speaks to Woody Johnson's poor leadership as he has not gotten this alignment right in the 25+ years of ownership. Even Rex had misalignment with Tannenbaum./Idzik, Herman Edwards had misalignment with Bradway. And those were the "good" years!

 

Well covered territory, but you nailed it with that right there. To be frank, I don't think Johnson has any leadership skills. "Poor" would be a HUGE step UP if you ask me. This guy has never managed more than getting a fork/spoon to his mouth or wiping his ass. Seriously, people like him honestly believe "money = intelligence." In no other walk of life does someone hand you a billion dollar company, when you have ZERO experience, and say "go run with it." Hell, most end up starting out in the mail room or wiping tables in the corporate cafeteria. Not, "here you go sir, here's the CEO's chair." With not a shred of experience. It takes people decades to become proficient CEO's and people managers. He's at, what, year 20-ish. I figure by 30 he might get it. Then again, he may never get it.

 

I don't look at Woody Johnson's leadership as the problem. He'll never be a leader because he has no basis for leadership outside of being the point man for collecting money for other rich men and a gifted ambassador appointment that only resulted in a sexual harassment scandal and some jars of the queen's honey - oh yeah and the real goal which was to make contacts so he could buy a British soccer team.

I see the problem as his involvement in football and leadership decisions at all. Sign the fucking checks and let the football guys win football games.

 

agree 1000%

Woody has ZERO leadership skills...you can see it whenever he speaks...he sounds like a fucking idiot and says nothing of substance...much like AG by the way

but worse than the lack of leadership, I think Woody's biggest issue is that he does not know people...he's never had to because he's never built anything, but to me, that's the biggest flaw. If Woody knew people, then it doesn't matter much if he knows football or not, or if he's a natural leader or not. All that would matter is that he knew a leader and talent when he saw it, then he'd hire those people and then let them do their thing. THAT's a good leader. Find the right people and then enable them to do their job and succeed...remove obstacles and let them do their thing. In Woody's case, it would mean just sign the fucking checks.

But the problem is Woody doesn't know a moron from a genius, so he consistently hires terrible GMs and pairs them with terrible HCs and doesn't even line up their motiviations so they are on the same page.

If you are in business...you figure out how to achieve those goals otherwise your business fails. Woody has never had to do that.

And THAT is the problem

 

In response to the comments about Woody, I, as many of you have been very critical of him for years now. But resigned to the fact that there is nothing you can do to change that. However, if there is one thing he has in common with the rest of us underneath it all is the overarching desire to have a winning team. He knows he is not respected by the rest of the owners, and the fact that this team continues to sink lower with time makes him look even worse if that is possible.
The only saving grace for the entire organization would be for this team to start turning things around and winning games, if we are successful in doing so, he will be much less likely to fuck up a good thing and leave well enough alone. He can focus on the glory that goes with winning, the limelight and media attention, and less on meddling on something he knows nothing about.
My fear is that if AG does not prove to be worth the HC job, and Woody meddles on the next selection with help from people like Mike T and others we are doomed. Is the sad case of be careful what one wishes for.