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SNY’s Connor Hughes, who has emerged as the top Jets insider (cranks out more scoops than anybody – he’s prolific), reported that Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson “does not have interest in the Jets vacancy, and has made that known.”
So somebody, likely from the Jets, fired back, via New York Post Jets writer Brian Costello, “the Jets don’t feel that Johnson would be a fit for them so they are not requesting an interview.”
Touche.
Johnson was never coming to the Jets. First of all, he’s happy in Detroit, so he might stay there, like he did last year when he turned down some teams.
Keep in mind that Johnson, a North Carolina native who attended UNC, turned down the Carolina Panthers twice.
He clearly doesn’t want to work for Panthers owner David Tepper, who is considered a meddler.
Some people thought going to Charlotte to coach his home state Panther was a dream job. But it’s not, likely do to the nature of the owner.
And Woody Johnson’s image right now is that of a meddler. It looks like moving forward, he’s going to try to take a different approach and let his new GM and coach do their thing Time will tell whether that happens, though he does seem sincere in his messaging about that.
But right now, before Johnson takes that approach moving forward, he’s viewed as a very hands-on owner right now, and Ben Johnson, clearly doesn’t want to be part of a scenario like that, as he proved by turning down the Panthers two years in a row.
Hughes also reported there are “some questions on how he’d handle the New York market.”
That would not be an issue at this time in history.
The New York market has changed. It’s not like it used to be.
Most press conferences are loaded with soft balls.
This isn’t the New York market of yesteryear, aside from the bombastic tabloid back page headlines in the New York Post and New York Daily News. However, those are written by layout people and editors, not writers.
This market is really not much tougher than other markets at this point – it really isn’t.
So I don’t think Ben Johnson would have had an issue here.
But he reportedly has no interest in the job, and according to Costello, the team has no interest in him.
Honestly, while Ben Johnson is a hell of an offensive player caller, that is not the kind of coach the Jets need now, a 30-something coach who buries his head in his play-sheet.
They need an experienced head coach, who has been a head coach before, an alpha dog leader who will take a 30,000 view and coach the entire team at all times, and transform the culture.
They need to hire a GM and coach combination, that is perhaps a little older, with a lot of experience.
This isn’t the time for amateur hour after 14 straight years out of the playoffs.
It really isn’t.
Wrong place, wrong time for a hot-shot young coordinator.
So the Jets putting in a request to talk to Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo makes sense. Not annointing him their top candidate right now, but he fits the template of that what they need right now – a top-shelf football mind with a ton of NFL experience and head coaching experience.
Ben Johnson to Jacksonville makes the most sense where he can be attached at the hip with Trevor Lawrence.
By the way, coaching agents will give player agents a run for their money as far as media leaks.
January 8, 2025
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