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The New York Jets search for its next head coach is already playing out in the public eye in various ways. On one hand, you’ve got the likes of Rex Ryan publicly campaigning for the job — on the other, you have Jets beat reporters scooping every finite detail of the search as it unfolds.
The latest update to the Jets’ search for a new head coach, which began after the team fired previous frontman Robert Saleh after just five games this season, is in regards to former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel.
Given that Vrabel is a disciple of Bill Belichick and likely a proud former New England Patriot, many assumed the likely in-demand head coach wouldn’t give the Jets the time of day.
According to ESPN’s Rich Cimini, however, Vrabel has told those close to him he’d consider the Jets as a landing spot after he makes his own conclusion about team owner Woody Johnson, who is considered to be one of, if not *the* worst owner in the sport.
Cimini added that Vrabel would also want to approve of who the team hires as its next general manager.
According to @RichCimini on his “Flight Deck” podcast: Mike Vrabel has told people that he is open to the #Jets HC job if he approves of the GM hire.
Cimini adds that Vrabel doesn’t care what Bill Belichick might think of Woody Johnson and would interview and decide on his own. pic.twitter.com/xa0J0Dgxve
— Jake Asman (@JakeAsman) December 4, 2024
“I’ve talked to people who know Vrabel, and he has told friends that he would consider the Jets as a possibility, as long as he likes the GM that they pick. So he says he doesn’t care what Belichick thinks, he’ll judge the situation based on its own merit,” Cimini said of a potential Vrabel-Jets marriage.
Given Vrabel’s proven track record of circling the wagons of mediocre franchises, the former Tennessee Titans head coach is likely one of the Jets’ top targets as they head into the offseason.
This season, the Jets sit at 3-9 and are set to extend their American professional sports-leading playoff drought to 14 years. Just to put into context how long it’s been since the Jets qualified for the postseason, Gang Green hasn’t made the playoffs since the release of the Nintendo 3DS. The Nintendo 3DS debuted in February 2011.