Surprise Ex-Jets Coach Could Enter NYJ HC Sweepstakes

Heavy on Jets

Rex Ryan has been very outspoken publicly that he would like to be the next head coach of the New York Jets.

However, NFL Insider Dianna Russini believes a different former Jets head coach should be in the running for the 2025 vacancy.

“If the Jets are toying around with the idea of giving a former head coach another shot, here’s a thought: Why not Eric Mangini?

I know, it sounds a little wild. Mangini, currently an analyst for Fox Sports, hasn’t coached since his time in San Francisco, first as Jim Harbaugh’s tight ends coach in 2014 and then Jim Tomsula’s defensive coordinator in ’15. But let’s be real: The Jets haven’t had a clear plan for winning both now and in the long term, and that’s exactly the kind of vision Mangini brought to the table when he coached the team from 2006 to ’08. One of the toughest challenges in the NFL is figuring out how to compete in the moment while building a foundation for consistent success, and Mangini showed he could do both,” Russini argued.

“Sure, Mangini’s tenure wasn’t perfect, but his emotional intelligence, attention to detail, and ability to turn things around quickly left a lasting impact on the franchise. If the Jets really want to bring back someone who knows this organization and can lay a sustainable foundation, maybe it’s time to give the man once known as “Mangenius” another shot,” Russini said. “I’m told the Jets are open to all options at this point as they continue to gather information on who their top candidates will be.”

Mangenius Is Underrated in Jets History

Everyone remembers Ryan’s success going to back-to-back AFC Championship games in 2009 and 2010. However, Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic pointed out that “Ryan’s best results in New York came in his first two years, when he inherited the team that Eric Mangini built.”

However, after that initial success, everything fell apart for Ryan and the Jets.

Similar to Ryan, Mangini has been out of the game for a while. Ryan was last in the NFL back in 2016 as the head coach of the Buffalo Bills. Mangini last was in the league in 2015 as the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers.

The danger of hiring a coach that has been out of the game that long is the game passing them by.

Jets Are Probably Better Served Turning Page Toward Future as Opposed to Going Backward

These conversations are different. Mangini? Ryan? If this is what is being discussed in November, I can only imagine where we go from here during this Jets head coaching search.

Despite the nostalgia trip for Jets fans, the team would benefit from going in a new direction. That doesn’t guarantee success but the Jets have done enough of living in the past their best bet is trying something different.

According to the latest betting odds, there should be plenty of attractive options for the Jets.

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson (+200), Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik (+300), and Cleveland Browns assistant Mike Vrabel (+300) are the top three betting favorites per BetUS.

https://twitter.com/MattOLearyNY/status/1859616723294462094