The Jets are greenlighting another chance for Todd Downing beginning tonight. Fired after two seasons as Titans OC, Downing is the team’s emergency replacement for Nathaniel Hackett. While Hackett remains on staff, both Robert Saleh and Jeff Ulbrich sought to demote him.
Saleh wrestled with this situation for much longer, being given a mulligan after Aaron Rodgers‘ Week 1 injury wrecked the Jets’ 2023 season. A January report indicated Saleh was looking to strip power from Hackett, who did not perform well (albeit with Zach Wilson back in the saddle) in his debut OC season with the Jets. Arthur Smith‘s name came up as reports of this effort emerged. As it turns out, the Jets looked into a few more experienced play-callers before ultimately sticking with Hackett.
Although no official OC search commenced, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports the Jets spoke with Eric Bieniemy, Kliff Kingsbury and Luke Getsy about a job that would have brought significant offensive responsibilities without an official title (subscription required). Though, Smith or one of these names signing on would have led to reduced Hackett responsibilities. This arrangement likely would not have gone over well with Rodgers, despite his recent willingness to accept his longtime friend being booted from the play-calling role, and would not have been especially appealing to coaching candidates with options.
Saleh sought an experienced staffer to help out, Russini adds, but did not have an OC title to offer. Rodgers’ presence almost definitely prevented Saleh from firing Hackett outright. Considering his job was on the line as well, Saleh being handcuffed to Hackett could certainly have generated tension between he and his quarterback.
Getsy, who worked with Rodgers (under Hackett) in Green Bay, received multiple interview requests following his Bears ouster. He ended up with the Raiders once Kingsbury’s negotiations broke down. Kingsbury reestablished momentum a year after his Cardinals firing, interviewing for the Bears, Eagles and Raiders’ jobs before maneuvering his way to Washington for the Commanders position. Bieniemy, the Commanders’ 2023 offensive coordinator, is now UCLA’s OC.
Woody Johnson approved the Hackett hire last year, as it became a gateway for the Jets to acquire Rodgers. The two worked together with the Packers from 2019-21, and Rodgers has consistently championed the embattled coordinator. He did so again this offseason. Hackett received criticism regarding his attention to detail last season, which unfolded largely without Rodgers, and the Jets have not improved at the level they expected despite the four-time MVP’s return from Achilles surgery. The Jets exited their London loss to the Vikings 25th in points and 27th in total offense.
Last week’s decision marks Hackett’s third in-season firing or demotion since 2018. As the Jaguars’ Blake Bortles extension skidded off track quickly, the team booted Hackett in November 2018. The Broncos canned Hackett 15 games into his HC stay; at the time, he joined only Urban Meyer as first-year coaches fired before season’s end in the past 40 years. Although Hackett is still on staff, this Jets demotion will restart a career nosedive for the second-generation coach. The Jets employed Paul Hackett as OC from 2001-04; the elder Hackett resigned following the ’04 season, which produced criticism early in the Chad Pennington era.
With Saleh gone and Nathaniel Hackett likely on the way out in New York, the remaining coaches from this Jets regime will attempt to keep their jobs under Ulbrich. Downing, a one-and-done Raiders OC who saw a DUI arrest lead to his Titans dismissal after two seasons, will lead the way in that effort.
