A major domino has fallen in the NFL’s game of coaching musical chairs, and its corresponding effect on the New York Jets is fascinating.
Former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy is set to become a free agent, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This not only opens a seventh head coaching vacancy (six if you exclude the New England Patriots), but it adds a premier, Super Bowl-winning candidate to the market.
How does it affect the Jets, you might ask?
According to Schefter’s report, the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints are the first two teams linked to McCarthy. New Orleans’ interest is noteworthy for New York because the Saints are widely considered the Jets’ primary competitor for another one of the top head coaching candidates, current Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini stated that McCarthy’s exodus from Dallas “could directly impact the Jets,” as “they and the Saints are thought to be Aaron Glenn’s preferred destinations.”
If McCarthy lands in New Orleans, the Jets could very well become the favorites to land Glenn.
It is also now worth having the conversation of whether New York should interview McCarthy. The connection is obvious, as the 61-year-old coach won Super Bowl XLV with current Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers while both were members of the Green Bay Packers.
As of this writing, no reports have linked McCarthy to the Jets. However, considering how wide of a net New York has cast in its search for a head coach, it would be unsurprising if McCarthy were interviewed.
For now, Chicago and New Orleans are the primary teams linked to the 13th-winningest coach in NFL history (174-112-2). Should McCarthy land in one of those destinations, New York may have one more available option among the younger candidates on the market – although Dallas adds one more team to compete against.
