The Jets will have a young quarterback under center one way or another come Week 1 of 2021, but they apparently aren’t limiting their coaching search to offensive minds. New York has requested an interview with Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, Adam Schefter tweets, and with Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link).
Both Staley and Graham oversaw units that made major leaps in 2020. We’ve heard a little bit of buzz about Staley but there hasn’t been as much head coach talk about Graham, so that one is pretty notable. Staley is only 38, and is looking to become the next man to land a head coaching job after serving as an assistant to Sean McVay. He was plucked out of relative anonymity by McVay this past offseason, as he was previously outside linebackers coach for the Broncos.
Staley has been widely praised for his innovative schemes, and the Rams finished first in total defense by a relatively wide margin, allowing only 281.9 yards per game. The Giants finished 12th in that same metric, a pretty impressive feat considering they were 25th last year.
At 41, Graham is pretty young himself. He broke into the league as an assistant with the Patriots in 2009, and spent the next seven years on Bill Belichick’s staff. Connections to Belichick and McVay are an annual tradition for seemingly nearly every head coaching candidate. Graham was the Dolphins’ DC in 2019, his first year as a coordinator, but was allowed to leave for New York since Brian Flores was the one still in charge of the defense in Miami. The Jets are clearly conducting an exhaustive search.
I don’t want to see Graham leave. As a Giants fan would love to see him for at least another season. I do hope Jason Garret gets an interview…Would love to loose him
Graham and Judge are both positioning themselves to be Foxboro Bill’s heir apparent. And much like Ray Perkins, either of them would spurn the Giants for the Pats job in a second.
I sincerely doubt this.
I’d have to disagree to this idea. First, the lure of the Pats is specifically Bill and working with him. without him it’s just another coaching gig. Second, BB spoke with Giants sr. mgmt and gave his support of Judge. We aren’t talking the Jets here. Now if you were the make the argument that they might follow Bill to another organization, ok, slim but ok. but to hold a Bill B’less Patriots on that type of pedestal is just inaccurate.
Judge is not leaving the Giants for Pats, that job is going to McDaniels. G Men need a game changin WR, Pass Rusher and we are playoff bound for 2021.
Could not agree more.
1. Bill B, respects the Mara family and the organization. And if anything pushed for Judge to get the job with plan that Bill will perhaps replace Gettlemen (long shot but possible)
2. This comment seems like either a Pats fan wishing Judge was heir over McDaniels or a Cowboys/Eagles fan worried that the Giants and Redskins have better HCs
I remember all those Jets fans and NY media that said that Gase would do better with the Jets since he was leaving a bad franchise in the Dolphins to go to a “good franchise” in the Jets.
Since then, Dolphins 20-12; Jets 9-23.
Jets should hire a Joe Judge type of person. Someone who oversees the team rather than dictates every facet of the game.