New York Jets Prefer Experience From New General Manager, Coach: Insider

The New York Jets are not necessarily looking to roll the dice when it comes to their next general manager hire.

From left, Jets co-owner Christopher Johnson, Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan and Jets co-owner Woody Johnson speak before an NFL football matchup Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The New York Jets didn’t officially interview any general manager or head-coaching candidates on Monday, and the interview may slow down with the holiday week.

But, patterns are starting to emerge in the types of candidates the Jets have already interviewed. Two of those three candidates has previous general manager experience, and the third has deep NFL scouting experience.

As it turns out, experience is preferred this time around, reports SNY’s Connor Hughes.

New York Jets owner Woody Johnson fired head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas earlier this season. Both were first-timers in their respective jobs.

Neither led New York to a winning season or a playoff berth, as that drought will extend to a 14th straight season, the longest such streak in North American pro sports right now. The next hires will be tasked with ending that streak.

Hughes reported that the preference of the Jets’ organization is to not go down that road again.

“The Jets obviously are pretty underway right now in the search,” Hughes said. “They're talking to candidates that are currently unaffiliated with teams, they are going to talk to candidates who are affiliated with teams once time permits and when they do I'm told that one thing that is being factored in and preferred is experienced in these jobs. Not a first-time head coach, not a first-time GM. Now that doesn't mean that those candidates are going to be ruled out. But doing it for the first time in New York it is a tall task so if you've done it before your resume might be bumped to the top.”

Discussing the #Jets search for their next GM & HC, what New York is looking for, and why there is appeal around the NFL for both. pic.twitter.com/NmnwMZraur

— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) December 22, 2024

The two experienced candidates interviewed so far are former Atlanta Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff and former Tennessee Titans GM Jon Robinson. Dimitroff helped build an NFC champion in Atlanta, while Robinson flipped the Titans into four-time playoff participants in six seasons. He’s seen as a desirable candidate because of his ties to Mike Vrabel, his former coach in Tennessee and seen as a leading candidate for the Jets’ head-coaching job.

The third candidate was Senior Bowl director and former NFL scout Jim Nagy. He won four Super Bowl rings as a scout for three different teams.

The Jets announced each of those interviews after their conclusion and will announce interviews as they conclude. New York can only interview candidates that are not employed in the NFL right now. The Jets can start interviewing candidates currently employed by teams two days after