The Jets completed interviews No. 13, 14 and 15 for their head coach opening on Friday.
Two of the interviews were with coordinators — Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley.
The third was with a candidate who would be a more unconventional choice — Josh McCown.
Jets fans will remember McCown’s two years with the team as a quarterback, first as a starter and then as a mentor to rookie Sam Darnold.
McCown is now the Vikings quarterbacks coach, where he was reunited with Darnold this season as Minnesota went 14-3 and made the playoffs.
McCown, who has only been an NFL assistant for two years, is the only coaching candidate the Jets have that has not been a head coach or a coordinator.
The 45-year-old would be making an unusual leap from position coach to the top job without a stop as a coordinator.
But those who know McCown well say his leadership ability will overshadow any lack of experience he has calling plays.
Wide receiver Brandon Marshall played with McCown in 2012 and 2013 with the Bears.
Marshall saw McCown replace an injured Jay Cutler in 2013 and throw 13 touchdowns and one interception, keeping the Bears season alive.
“I knew back then that Josh was a man I would follow anywhere. Josh is a leader. He’s a galvanizer,” Marshall said Friday. “He happened to know how to throw the football. He happened to have a high football IQ. The thing that made Josh special is everyone in the [bleeping] building loves him. Everybody.”
The jump from position coach to head coach is unusual but not unprecedented.
A great example of it working is Andy Reid, who went from Packers quarterbacks coach to Eagles head coach in 1999.
Reid has won 273 regular season games, the fourth most in NFL history, and has won three Super Bowls with the Chiefs.
Reid’s achievements may be a tough bar for McCown to clear but there are other examples of coaches being hired who have not called plays before like McCown’s boss in Minnesota, Kevin O’Connell or Miami’s Mike McDaniel.
Those two had offensive coordinator titles but were not the primary play-caller with Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan as their respective bosses.
Marshall said McVay’s 18 years in the NFL as a quarterback more than make up for a lack of coaching experience.
“Who’s more qualified to run an offense — a coach or a guy who actually played the position?” Marshall said.
McCown spent many years as a backup quarterback and later in his career was a mentor to many young quarterbacks, preparing him for his coaching future.
McCown has already been interviewed twice by the Texans for their head coaching openings in 2021 and 2022.
The first came while he was still a player.
In 2018, the Jets were considering firing Todd Bowles during the season but could not decide if anyone on the coaching staff could be the interim coach.
McCown was discussed as an option as a player-coach, showing how highly he was thought of.
Mike McCartney, McCown’s longtime agent when he was a player, said McCown can connect with players because he has gone through nearly every experience in the NFL.
“Josh McCown is the epitome of a leader of men,” McCartney said Friday. “He genuinely cares about people and has an unparalleled ability to connect with everyone in the locker room. His career reflects a unique journey — he’s been drafted, paid, released, traded, injured, played in another league and even been on a practice squad. Josh can truly identify with every player on a roster because he’s lived their experiences. This makes him a natural teacher, motivator and unifier.”
There does not seem to be any doubt around the league that McCown will eventually be a head coach.
There have been instances like McVay with the Rams and Zac Taylor with the Bengals where teams decided to hire someone early before losing the chance to hire them later.
McCartney said he is confident McCown will put together a strong staff to help him win if the Jets hire him.
“What sets Josh apart is self-awareness and humility — he would know how to put together a coaching staff that complements his inexperience in coaching and bolsters areas where he may lack strength,” McCartney said. “His ability to surround himself with the right people, paired with his leadership and character, makes him an ideal head coach candidate for the Jets or any NFL team.”
The Titans are working toward hiring Chiefs assistant GM Mike Borgonzi, according to multiple reports.
Borgonzi interviewed with the Jets and was viewed as a strong candidate.
The Jets are expected to begin second interviews with GM candidates in the next few days.
