Joe Douglas, Christopher Johnson, and the New York Jets have wasted no time targeting candidates to replace Adam Gase.
With Adam Gase’s locker cleaned out mere hours after the season finale loss to the New England Patriots, the New York Jets are beginning to line up interviews for their vacant head coaching position.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that the Jets and Houston Texans have requested to interview Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus.
The #Jets and #Texans have put in requests to interview #Colts DC Matt Eberflus for their head coaching jobs, per sources. A hot candidate.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 4, 2021
Eberflus, 50, is in his third season as Indy’s DC. From 2018-20, he led the Colts defense to 11th, 19th and seventh in DVOA. Prior to joining the Colts, Eberflus spent seven seasons (2011-17) as the Dallas Cowboys linebackers coach.
Keep in mind that the Jets’ assistant general manager, Rex Hogan, was the Vice President of Player Personnel for Indianapolis from 2017-18, so the connection is there.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Woody Johnson will not be involved in the head coaching search.
Jets owner Woody Johnson, Ambassador to the United Kingdom, is not expected to sit in on upcoming HC interviews, per sources. Others, led by CEO Christopher Johnson, will run the search and hire the next HC. W. Johnson will be aware of developments, just not a part of interviews.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 4, 2021
In addition to Eberflus, Schefter reports that the Jets are expected to request permission to interview Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
Jets have put in a request to interview Colts' DC Matt Eberflus for their HC position, per source.
Jets also expected to request permission on Titans' OC Arthur Smith.
There will be more; this is a fluid, thorough and lengthy, process.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 4, 2021
We have already covered Smith quite a bit here at Jet X. Ben Blessington broke down his impressive resume here, while Sam Crnic broke down film of Smith’s offense here.
The 38-year-old coordinator has been working his way up in Nashville since 2011, elevating from defensive quality control coach, to offensive line/tight ends coach, to assistant tight ends coach, and to tight ends coach before moving up to offensive coordinator in 2019. Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry have become stars under his leadership, improving massively upon their career production prior to Smith’s promotion. Tennessee’s offense ranked sixth in DVOA in 2019 and fourth in 2020.
Schefter reports that the Jets, along with the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions, have officially requested to interview Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.
And now the Jets officially requested Chiefs' OC Eric Bieniemy for their HC job as well, per source. https://t.co/mcBM2SdhQ5
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 4, 2021
Bieniemy, 51, played running back in the NFL from 1991-99, picking up 1,589 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Bengals, Chargers, and Eagles. He was the offensive coordinator at the University of Colorado from 2011-12 before joining Kansas City as a running backs coach in 2013, a position he held until 2017. Since 2018, he has been the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator, assisting Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes on the way to three straight seasons in the top-three of offensive DVOA.
The search is on. It’s Joe Douglas’ time to shine.
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Both Eberflus and Daboll are both seem to be really good choices. I am leaning to Eberflus since he really has an interesting history of turning journeymen or players on the downside of their career into NFL starters.