The New York Jets should hire one of these five head coaches to replace Adam Gase.
It’s hard to imagine that the Adam Gase era could’ve gone any worse for the New York Jets. Yes, the head coach won seven games last season but that was a clear over-performance. So when the team went into the tank in the 2020 campaign, that felt proper. But that was only for Gase to win two straight games after starting 0-13, thus costing the Jets the chance at the No. 1 overall pick.
Now the era is over. After the Jets concluded their season with a loss to the Patriots in Week 17, falling miles short of the NFL Playoffs, Jets owner Christopher Johnson released a statement that they’d fired Gase. Thus, the head coach search for the 2021 New York Jets (and beyond) is now on.
Armed with the No. 2 overall pick and another first-round pick, general manager Joe Douglas will be able to give his next head coach a nice array of talent to work with. But as was proven with Gase, they have to hire the right guy. In that vein, the ideal move should still be to find an offensive-minded head coach. It didn’t work with Gase but that was more to do with the person than the process.
So where could the franchise look now to lead the locker room? These are the five best head coach candidates for the New York Jets.
New York Jets head coach candidate No. 5: Matt Eberflus
Current Role: Colts Defensive Coordinator
As mentioned, the preference for the Jets head coaching search would be for them to go with an offensive hire. While that may be true, if the right defensive hire is available, then they would be foolish to turn their noses up at it based on principle. Which is why it should not be shocking that New York has already booked an interview with current Indianapolis defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Eberflus has done a phenomenal job with the Colts defense throughout his tenure. Yes, he has plenty of talent to work with but you can’t overlook the development he’s cultivated as well. Players like Darius Leonard, Kenny Moore, Rock Ya-Sin and a number of others have out-played where they were drafted. New York should examine how adding him would affect their own defense.