Jets brass begins selling how great this job can be
Mike Maccagnan and Christopher Johnson don’t expect to have trouble finding interested candidates in the Jets’ head-coaching vacancy.
Despite eight straight seasons without a playoff berth, the two chief decision-makers believe they have what others lack: a franchise quarterback in 21-year-old Sam Darnold.
“I think this is a good landing spot. I do. I think the Jets are a really good spot for a coach to end up,” Jets CEO Johnson said the day after he fired coach Todd Bowles following four seasons, three of them losing years. “I think we’ve got some good pieces. We’ve got some great young players, especially Sam. We haven’t had what we think is a franchise quarterback in a really long time.”
The Jets also have close to $100 million in money to spend this offseason, the No. 3 pick in the upcoming draft and five other selections with which to play. Nevertheless, according to NFL Network, they already have been turned down by Iowa State’s Matt Campbell, who declined the Jets’ invitation for a meeting. They also have expressed interest in interviewing Buccaneers offensive coordinator Todd Monken, Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and Cowboys passing coordinator/defensive backs coach Kris Richard.
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In Darnold, Johnson and Maccagnan believe they have a very attractive selling point, the No. 3 pick in last year’s draft who showed flashes of his immense potential late in the season. The Jets would like Darnold to be a part of the search process, as well, and intend for him to meet the coaching candidates they interview.
“My favorite thing, I think, aside from his continued progress — and I think we’ve seen that — is his ability to learn from mistakes,” Johnson said. “He doesn’t seem to make the same one twice. One of the big knocks on him coming into this season was his fumbling the football, and he’s done very well with that, as well, this year.”
Darnold also contributed in part to saving Maccagnan’s job. Johnson said he believes his general manager, who has two years left on his contract, and he are on the same page as to how they want to rebuild this team. Having a quarterback like Darnold is a major part of that.
“It really came together with Sam,” Johnson said. “We’re going to build with Sam, and we’re going to build around Sam.”
The former USC star shined after missing a month with a sprained right foot, throwing six touchdowns and just one interception in a three-game span before Sunday’s season-ending 38-3 loss to the Patriots. Overall, he threw 17 touchdown passes and 15 interceptions while completing 57.7 percent of his passes and accounting for a 77.6 quarterback rating.
“His potential and upside is very good,” Maccagnan said. “The idea of potentially working with a young quarterback like Sam is an attractive thing.”
