With the dismissal of Adam Gase, the New York Jets must now turn to other head coach candidates. General Manager Joe Douglas will make a choice, with many popular names to choose from.
How does Sam Darnold play a role in the decision?
Douglas is a solid believer in QB Sam Darnold, therefore expects him to base his coaching search on candidates who share the same beliefs. There are a lot of believers in Sam Darnold’s talent in the league, so the coaches need to be very interested.
Candidates for New York Jets head coaches
Here are the best candidates for the Jets’ head coaching job.
Brian Daboll, Buffalo Bills Offensive Coordinator
Brian Daboll is the hottest name in the NFL. If we look at his success with the Bills and his work to develop QB Josh Allen, it’s easy to see why. The Bills have one of the best offenses in the league and it wants to appear in the NFL playoffs in 2021. Daboll turned Josh Allen from a raw but talented quarterback into a potential NFL MVP.
Daboll’s creativity and development of Allen in Buffalo makes him stand out among the Jets’ head coach candidates. The violation of the Bill is currently the second in the pass violation, the seventh in the total attack and the sixth place in the score per game. The bills are fifth in the offensive DVOA and third in the passing DVOA.
In just 45 years, Daboll has already won Super Bowls in New England and the NCAA Championship with Alabama. In addition, Daboll has previously worked with the New York Jets under Eric Mangini’s staff. Poaching 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 Jets’ head coach candidate race.
Don “Wink” Martindale, Baltimore Ravens Defense Coordinator
For more than a month during The draft insiders podcasts and his weekly Q&A piece, Tony Pauline, named Baltimore Ravens defense coordinator Don Martindale as a dormant candidate getting an important talk for a head coach position in the off-season. According to Pauline, the players love Martindale.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport recently tweeted that if Adam Gase is finally fired, Martindale will be a candidate to replace him. Pauline added during the podcast that one league insider told him, “If the Jets hire Martindale, they will eventually do something right.”
Many consider Martindale to be a brilliant defensive thought. Despite the Ravens’ injuries, they still play excellent defensive football. He is a creative stage designer and learns from the Ryan brothers and Dean Pees. Many coaches and players called his defense unpredictable.
As defense coordinator for the Ravens, Don Martindale coached the Ravens defense to the rankings of the fourth (2018), fifth (2019) and eighth (current 2020) in the defensive DVOA.
After being burned on an “offensive guru,” Joe Douglas may decide to opt for 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 leading Jets head coaching candidate.
Iowa head coach Matt Campbell
Matt Campbell has appeared on the NFL radar several times, but his association with the NFL was strongest with the Jets. With the dismissal of Adam Gase, Campbell remains attached to the team. With the state of Iowa just finishing its best season in program history, Campbell’s star has never been so bright. What he did during a historically bad program brought the NFL to Ames’ attention.
Collegiate program builders have become more popular in recent years (see Matt Rhule and the recent Urban Meyer rumors). Matt Campbell is just 41 years old and has instilled a winning culture in the Cyclones. The Jets reach out to Matt Campbell before hiring Adam Gase. Is Matt Campbell armed with the second pick in the 2021 NFL draft and money to spend?
Campbell is a risky hire as he has never worked in the NFL, but he has been an incredibly popular candidate for years. Campbell will work well as a chief executive officer, but he needs to check the hiring of his coordinator. He’s a name to keep in mind when looking at the Jets’ head coach candidates.
Other candidates who could find themselves in New York
Arthur Smith, Offensive Coordinator of Tennessee Titans
Joe Brady, Carolina Panthers Offensive Coordinator
Matt Eberflus, Indianapolis Colts Defensive Coordinator
Eric Bieniemy, offensive coordinator in Kansas City
Brian Schottenheimer, attacking coordinator at Seattle Seahawks