Jets Could Hire Former Patriots Killer, Super Bowl Champion Head Coach As OC

Who are the New York Jets going to hire as offensive coordinator?

It’s a question that’s on every Jets fan’s mind, and probably Aaron Rodgers’s mind, too.

Jets head coach Aaron Glenn made it clear during Monday’s introductory press conference that he and GM Darren Mougey are going to sit down together and build the roster, and ostensibly, fill out the coaching staff.

It’s difficult to predict who Glenn will want as coordinators, mostly because he won’t be exercising nepotism for the hires. One name that’s been linked to Glenn and the Jets’ offensive coordinator vacancy is Nick Caley of the Los Angeles Rams. Another name is Scott Turner of the Las Vegas Raiders.

Both Caley and Turner are being courted by other organizations, so neither is a sure thing for Glenn. On Monday, the Tampa Bay Buccanneers announced via X that they had just completed an interview with Caley for their vacant offensive coordinator job.

Turner has been a rumored candidate to join Bill Belichick’s staff at the University of North Carolina.

Turner and Caley are both 42 years old.

Some have speculated that Glenn, a first-time head coach, would benefit from adding ultra-experienced coordinators to the Jets staff, thereby offsetting his own relative inexperience.

While such an evaluation might be an undersell of Glenn’s undeniably vast experience (albeit in roles besides head coach), it’s a theory that has made 55-year-old former head coach Steve Wilks a rumored candidate for the defensive coordinator job.

If Glenn was leaning towards appointing coordinators who have head coach experience, here’s someone who could potentially fit like a glove as Jets offensive coordinator: former Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson.

Pederson, 56, famously led Nick Foles and the underdog Eagles to a thrilling victory over Tom Brady’s mighty New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII. Pederson was lauded for gutsy game management in the wake of the victory.

And while Pederson didn’t end up staying long-term in Philly, nor did his challenging job in Jacksonville produce success, he’s undeniably one of the most respected offensive minds in the NFL today.

Pederson’s worked as an OC before — he was the Kansas City Chief’s offensive coordinator between 2013 and 2015. Prior to that, Pederson worked as the offensive quality control coach (2009-2010) and quarterbacks coach (2011-2012) for the Eagles.

Pederson would fit nicely on Glenn’s staff because, like Glenn, Pederson is a former NFL player — a quarterback, in fact. Pederson was Brett Favre’s third-string QB in Green Bay when the Packers defeated the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI, earning Pederson a ring.

Maybe Glenn and the Jets should call up Pederson if they haven’t already. A guy who beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl as both a player and coach might be destined to join Gang Green.

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