NFL insider implies New York Jets could soon reunite with former head coach, but it’s not Rex Ryan

NFL insider implies New York Jets could soon reunite with former head coach, but it’s not Rex Ryan

The New York Jets need a new head coach and there has been speculation they could bring back former coach Rex Ryan. However, a new report suggests they could actually bring back a different one-time leader of the team.

The Jets’ 2024 campaign has been a big mess. They enter their Week 17 matchup against the Buffalo Bills with a sad 4-11 season and are headed to a second straight season near the bottom of the NFL standings.

It is a far cry from where the franchise expected to be at this point in the season.

The team’s descent into another losing year is why former head coach Robert Saleh was ousted midway through his fourth year as head coach after a surprising 2-3 start to the season. Since being fired, there has been a great deal of speculation about who could be the team’s next head coach.

One name that has generated a lot of momentum in New York is former head coach Rex Ryan. The 62-year-old oversaw the team for six seasons and took the franchise to consecutive AFC Championship games (2009 and 2010).

And the franchise has lacked similar consistent success since. However, on Friday, The Athletic’s NFL insider Dianna Russini suggested a different former coach the franchise could consider instead.

“Pete Carroll wants to coach again. The question is, after Bill Belichick struggled to gain traction in the NFL coaching market, will there be a team that sees itself as a fit for a 73-year-old head coach?” Russini wrote in the latest Athletic newsletter. “As far as the right fit goes, he’s been connected to the Bears. But I wonder about the Jets, three decades after his one-year stint as their HC.

“They might not want a first-time head coach because of the difficulties. And there’s no guarantee they’ll be able to land a coveted candidate who has head-coaching experience,” she added. “So what about tapping into a longtime winner like Carroll? He went 137-89-1 with a title in Seattle.”

Pete Carroll record (Career): 137-89-1
Carroll saw his legendary tenure with the Seattle Seahawks come to an unceremonious end earlier this year after 14 seasons and a 137-89 record. He led them to three NFC West titles in that time and a Super Bowl victory in 2013.

The biggest issue with the man who coached the New York Jets for one season in 1994 is his age. He will turn 74 years old next September.