What Makes Joe Brady a Good Candidate For the Jets' Head Coaching Vacancy?

The New York Jets interviewed Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady for their head coach vacancy. Here's why Brady is a good candidate for the job

From veteran head coaches like Marvin Lewis to familiar faces such as ex-Jets cornerback Aaron Glenn, the New York Jets are casting a wide net in their head coaching search.

This weekend, that process expanded to include a new candidate, an individual that's meteoric ascension in the coaching ranks has caught everyone's attention. 

New York announced it completed an interview with Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady on Saturday, a 31-year-old with only three years of NFL coaching experience. 

Just eight years ago, Brady graduated from William and Mary—where he played wide receiver—and became his alma mater's linebackers coach. Spending no more than two years in any role as his budding coaching career progressed, Brady went on to serve as a graduate assistant at Penn State and an offensive assistant with the Saints. He then took over as LSU's passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach in 2019.

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So, how was Brady able to secure an offensive coordinator gig with an NFL team this past season? Allow LSU's offensive numbers with Brady in town do the talking.

Under Brady's tutelage, quarterback Joe Burrow and the Tigers went undefeated, winning a national championship. Their offense wasn't just the best in the nation, averaging 568.9 yards and 48.4 points per game, it was historically dominant.

Under Brady, Burrow won the Heisman Award, set an FBS single-season record with 60 touchdown passes, finished with the third-most passing yards ever in a single season (5,671) and set a new record with a 202.0 passer rating.

Further, Brady's wideouts were particularly successful as well. Ja'Marr Chase had 1,780 receiving yards in 2019 and 20 touchdowns, the most in the nation. Chase had two more scores than his teammate Justin Jefferson, who tore up the NFL this season as a rookie with the Minnesota Vikings.

Of course Brady can't take all the credit for LSU's historic season. Head coach Ed Orgeron and offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger played a part as well, along with an offensive roster brimming with talent. To jump from a college passing game coordinator to an offensive coordinator in the NFL the following year, however, shows how much Brady's services are coveted at the professional level.

In his lone season with Carolina this year, the Panthers didn't exactly set the league ablaze with their offense. Brady's bunch had a 5-11 record, finishing the season in the bottom half of the league with an average of 349.5 yards per game. Then again, it's tough to judge Carolina's offense under Brady this year as All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey only played in three games.

Looking through the lens of Brady's one-year stint at LSU, this candidate could very well do everything Adam Gase was meant to do as New York's head coach. 

Remember how Gase was brought in as an offensive guru, poised to revitalize the Jets' offense and help Sam Darnold develop into a true franchise quarterback? Brady would be poised to take what's been the worst offensive team in the league for the last two seasons and transform Gang Green into a formidable unit as soon as his first year in charge.

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With Brady's experience working with offensive weapons like Burrow and Chase, even though he's inexperienced in the NFL, he would work well with a young roster as the Jets' head coach. Brady can help general manager Joe Douglas decide whether or not to stick with Darnold, use his time at LSU to choose the right playmakers to pick in the draft going forward (with New York's surplus of top draft picks) and assist players like wideout Denzel Mims continue to develop. 

Plus, Brady can bring a new culture, one fostered by his time in winning organizations like LSU and New Orleans. Sure, older candidates like Lewis who have been around for a long time can bring discipline from decades at this level, but Brady's youth may work better with one of the youngest teams in the NFL. 

As noted by Brian Costello of the New York Post, Brady brings a Sean McVay feel to the Jets' head coaching search. Los Angeles took a chance hiring McVay when he was at a similar age a few years ago. Two seasons in, the Rams made the Super Bowl.

Factor all of that together and while Brady is certainly a risk, he's one of the best options available for New York. How he compares to another candidate that's interviewed for the position–like Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy for instance—that's up to Douglas and CEO Christopher Johnson to decide. 

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