NASHVILLE, TN – OCTOBER 14: Head coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens reacts to a play during the second quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on October 14, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
The New York Jets will likely be in the market for a head coach come the offseason. These five coaches could be perfect candidates to lead the team into 2019 and beyond.
It takes a special talent to be able to coach an NFL team. Not only do you need to possess an incredible understanding of the game and all of its little intricacies, but a head coach must be a leader of men and a chairman for his organization.
Many have tried their hands at the profession but few stand the test of time. Stability is essential in the NFL and a truly successful coach remains with an organization for so long that they become almost synonymous with their franchise. Think Bill Belichick with the Patriots and Mike Tomlin with the Steelers.
The New York Jets currently sit at a crossroads with their head coach, Todd Bowles. Bowles is in his fourth season as the coach of the Jets and his time with the team is likely coming to an end.
NFL Network’s Ian Rappaport reported that Bowles faces “an uphill battle to keep his job” essentially sealing the fate of the former Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator. The Jets have failed to take the step forward that they had hoped this season under Bowles and after the team’s embarrassing blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills, it seems like a given that Bowles will not make it past this season.
With that in mind, it’s about time to start taking a look at the available options that will likely dominate the NFL coaching carousel come early 2019. Some of these names have been linked with the Jets already and others are just pure speculation.
One thing’s for sure, the Jets need a change and each of these five candidates will undoubtedly provide that. Let’s take a look at the honorable mentions first.
NORMAN, OK – OCTOBER 27: Head Coach Lincoln Riley of the Oklahoma Sooners watches warm ups before the game against the Kansas State Wildcats at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on October 27, 2018 in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma defeated Kansas State 51-14. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions
David Shaw – Head Coach (Stanford University): An offensive-minded head coach, Shaw would make an interesting candidate for the Jets head coaching position. His name has regularly made the rounds for the past few offseasons and his prior NFL experience combined with his tenure as the head coach at Stanford makes him appealing for a number of teams. Unfortunately, trying to draw Shaw away from his alma mater where he has spent the past 12 years could prove difficult.
John DeFilippo – Offensive Coordinator (Minnesota Vikings): DeFilippo’s name has been tossed around so much by fans that it seems crazy that a move to the Jets hasn’t happened yet. That being said, the former Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks coach hasn’t had the most impressive season as the offensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings and NFL front offices don’t seem to view him in the same way that fans do. Don’t count on a second stint for DeFilippo with the Jets coaching staff.
Lincoln Riley – Head Coach (University of Oklahoma): Riley is one of the brightest, young offensive minds in the football world and signing him would undoubtedly be a huge get for the team. However, the Oklahoma coach is in a great spot with the Sooners and luring him away from a top-tier college gig would be difficult for the Jets to do. It’s more likely that we see Riley entertain potential offers from the Browns, Packers, or Cowboys if he is to leave Oklahoma for the NFL.
Zac Taylor – Quarterbacks Coach (Los Angeles Rams): At just 35-years old, Taylor is still very inexperienced as a coach having officially been a coach for under a decade. Still, for teams looking to replicate the Rams Sean McVay hiring, Taylor will likely draw a lot of interest. While he doesn’t call plays with Los Angeles, he has experience doing so as the interim offensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins in 2015. His lack of head coach and even coordinator experience mean he still may be a year or two away from getting serious looks by NFL teams but he is certainly a name to watch for the future.
Dave Toub – Special Teams Coordinator (Kansas City Chiefs): The longtime special teams coordinator was finally given a bigger role this year as Toub was promoted to assistant head coach to compliment his special teams coaching. Andy Reid has a knack for producing successful NFL head coaches under his tutelage, see Doug Pederson and Matt Nagy in recent years, and it seems that NFL teams have caught on to that. Toub was connected with the Colts job last season and had previously interviewed with both the Broncos and Dolphins meaning that he is well on the radar of the NFL. Perhaps he could follow in the footsteps of John Harbough who also went from special teams coordinator under Reid to NFL head coach.
