With the dismissal of Adam Gase, the New York Jets now need to turn to other coaching candidates. General manager Joe Douglas will make his choice, with many popular names to choose from.
How does Sam Darnold influence the decision?
Douglas is a convinced believer in QB Sam Darnold, therefore, expect him to base his coaching search on candidates who share the same belief. There are many who believe in Sam Darnold’s talent in the league, so there must be a lot of interest from the coaches.
New York Jets Head Coach Candidates
Here are the main candidates for the position of head coach of the Jets.
Brian Daboll, offensive coordinator for Buffalo Bills
Brian Daboll emerged as the hottest name in the NFL. Looking at his success with Bills and his work on developing QB Josh Allen, it’s easy to see why. Bills has one of the best attacks in the league and seems to go a long way in the 2021 NFL Playoffs. Daboll turned Josh Allen from a crude but talented defender to a potential NFL MVP.
Daboll’s creativity and Allen’s development in Buffalo make him stand out among the Jets’ head coach candidates. Bill’s attack is currently the second in a pass attack, the seventh in total attack and the sixth in score per game. Bills are fifth in offensive DVOA and third in passing DVOA.
At just 45, Daboll has won the Super Bowls in New England and the NCAA championships with Alabama. In addition, Daboll previously worked with the New York Jets under the team of Eric Mangini. Hunting Daboll from an AFC East rival would be a sweet tune for Joe Douglas. Daboll will be one of the first names to appear in the race for candidates for the Jets’ head coach.
Don “Wink” Martindale, Baltimore Ravens Defense Coordinator
For more than a month during The Draft Insiders podcasts and his weekly question-and-answer article, Tony Pauline mentioned Baltimore Ravens’ defensive coordinator, Don Martindale, as a dormant candidate, receiving meaningful conversations for a technician position approaching the off-season. According to Pauline, players love Martindale.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport recently tweeted that if Adam Gase was fired, Martindale would be a candidate to replace him. Pauline added during the podcast that a league member told him: “If the Jets hire Martindale, they will finally do something right.”
Many consider Martindale to be a brilliant defensive mind. Despite the Ravens’ injuries, they continue to play excellent defensive football. He is a creative designer, learning from brothers Ryan and Dean Pees. Many coaches and players find their defense unpredictable.
As the Ravens ‘defensive coordinator, Don Martindale trained the Ravens’ defense for fourth (2018), fifth (2019) and eighth (current 2020) rankings in defensive DVOA.
After burning with an “offensive guru”, Joe Douglas could choose to choose a more stable presence on the other side of the ball. Douglas and Martindale crossed paths while Douglas was with the Ravens. Martindale appears to be the main candidate for the Jets’ head coach.
Iowa State Chief Coach Matt Campbell
Matt Campbell has appeared on the NFL’s radar several times, but his connection to the NFL has been stronger with the Jets. With Adam Gase now fired, Campbell remains attached to the team. With the state of Iowa just completing its best season in the show’s history, Campbell’s star has never been so brilliant. What he did on a historically bad show brought the NFL’s attention to Ames.
University program creators have become more popular in recent years (see Matt Rhule and the recent Meyer’s urban rumors) Matt Campbell is only 41 years old and instilled a winning culture in the Cyclones. The Jets contacted Matt Campbell before signing Adam Gase. Armed with second choice in the 2021 NFL Draft and money to spend, will Matt Campbell resist this time?
Campbell is a risky hire, considering he never worked in the NFL, but has been an incredibly popular candidate for years. Campbell would work well as a type of CEO coach, but he needs to get his coordinator hires right. He is a name to keep in mind when examining candidates for Jets’ head coach.
Other candidates who could meet in New York
Arthur Smith, Tennessee Titans Offensive Coordinator
Joe Brady, offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers
Matt Eberflus, Indianapolis Colts Defense Coordinator
Eric Bieniemy, Kansas City Chiefs Offensive Coordinator
Brian Schottenheimer, Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator