Jets hire Cardinals DC Todd Bowles as head coach
The New York Jets have hired Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles to be their next head coach, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Bowles confirmed the move in a text to ESPN's Josina Anderson.
Busch reportedly signed a four-year contract worth at least $16 million, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN. Former Buffalo Bills head coach Chan Gailey, who has been out of football for the past two years, is expected to be the Jets' offensive coordinator.
Bowles, 51, has been the Cardinals' defensive coordinator for the past two seasons. In November, he signed a contract extension through the 2017 season that gave him a pay raise but didn't prevent him from pursuing head coaching jobs this offseason.
The Cardinals ranked fifth in scoring defense (18.7 points allowed per game) this season despite several injuries, and Arizona finished 11-5, marking the franchise's first 11-win season 1975. The Cardinals lost to the Carolina Panthers 27-16 in the wild-card round on Jan. 3.
• Report: Cowboys, Jason Garrett on verge of new five-year deal
Bowles was the Jets' defensive backs coach in 2000 before leaving for the Cleveland Browns, where he coached from 2001-04. He was then the Dallas Cowboys' secondary coach from 2005-07 and the Miami Dolphins' assistant head coach and secondary coach from 2008-11.
Bowles took over as the Philadelphia Eagles' defensive coordinator during the 2012 season after he had been hired to coach the defensive backs.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Jets announced the hiring of Houston Texans executive Mike Maccagnan as their next general manager. Maccagnan was involved with Bowles' second interview with the Jets on Tuesday.
• FARRAR: Early winners of offseason's front office turnover
The Jets fired former head coach Rex Ryan along with general manager John Idzik late last month after New York went 4-12 and missed the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Ryan was the head coach for six seasons, leading the Jets to the AFC conference finals in each of his first two seasons.
- Mike Fiammetta
