New York Jets: Is head coaching job attractive to top candidates?

Many good coaches are on the wish list to replace Todd Bowles as New York Jets head coach. Would a top candidate want to coach Gang Green, though?

It is likely that Todd Bowles will no longer be the head coach of the New York Jets when the 2018 season ends. The fans’ wish list of replacements — especially offensive-minded coaches — is a long one.

According to Calvin Watkins of Newsday, last year, Christopher Johnson said that Woody Johnson is entrenched in being the ambassador and isn’t involved in football decisions whatsoever since taking that role.

He told Watkins this:

"“He really has a full-time job over there. We are not discussing football. He’s out of it.”"

If that’s true, then the younger Johnson has full control of the day-to-day operations of the team. If that’s the case, then one question will have to be on the forefront. How much authority does Mike Maccagnan (or whoever the general manager will be next season) have? If Christopher Johnson exerts as much authority as his older brother did, then it may be tough to find a good head coach.

Being an owner in sports — or in the Jets’ case, acting CEO — is just as it is many other businesses. You need to hire people you trust to do their jobs and only step in when it’s absolutely necessary. If the general manager doesn’t have the final say on roster decision, and it always goes through the owner, it doesn’t matter who the person is.

Also, in a sports organization, the GM and head coach must be on the same page. That flies out the window if every decision goes through the owner too.

If the Jets are in a situation where Christopher Johnson is making all the decisions, it will be next to impossible to find a good head coach to replace Bowles, because the head coach will be handcuffed.

The list of potential candidates is long, but it may be much shorter by the end of the season. It’s all dependent upon how things are actually being run.