If it wasn’t already clear before this year, the Pro Bowl Games needs to disappear.
The AFC quarterbacks are Shedeur Sanders, Joe Flacco and Joe Burrow after multiple quarterbacks couldn’t or wouldn’t participate.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that Jets quarterback Justin Fields is one of the quarterbacks who declined the NFL’s offer, choosing instead to focus on his offseason training.
Fields started only nine games. He won two. He threw only seven touchdowns, and the Jets averaged only 20.2 points in his starts.
Yet, he somehow had a chance to earn Pro Bowl honors for the first time in his five-year career.
Darrell Bevell is reportedly on the list of offensive coordinator candidates getting a second interview with the Jets.
Longtime NFL reporter Josina Anderson reports that Bevell is scheduled for an in-person interview with the team on Monday. A meeting with former Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman is also on the docket and the Jets had talks with former Colts, Panthers and Stanford head coach Frank Reich about joining the coaching staff before they fired Tanner Engstrand last week.
Bills quarterbacks coach Ronald Curry and Cowboys tight ends coach Lunda Wells also had virtual interviews with the Jets.
Bevell spent the last four seasons as the quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator for the Dolphins. He had previous offensive coordinator stints with the Jaguars, Lions, Seahawks and Vikings.
Bevell also served as an interim head coach in Jacksonville and Detroit. He was 2-7 in those stints.
The Jets created an opening at offensive coordinator by firing Tanner Engstrand last week and their search for a new one is set to move forward this week.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports that former Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman will have an in-person interview for the job. The Jets also interviewed Darrell Bevell, Ronald Curry, Frank Reich, and Lunda Wells virtually and are expected to have two others in for in-person meetings.
Roman spent the last two seasons with the Chargers, but was dismissed after their playoff loss to the Patriots. Mike McDaniel is now the offensive coordinator on Jim Harbaugh’s staff.
Roman has also been an offensive coordinator with the Ravens, Bills, and 49ers.
Former Jets offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand has found a new job.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that Engstrand will be joining Kevin Stefanski’s staff in Atlanta as the Falcons’ offensive passing game coordinator. The Jets fired Engstrand last week after one year as their coordinator.
The Jets finished 31st in points scored and 25th in yards during Engstrand’s one year on the job.
Engstrand spent five seasons on the Lions’ staff before making the move to the Jets after Aaron Glenn was hired as their head coach. He was the passing game coordinator during his final two seasons in Detroit.
The Falcons have also hired Tommy Rees as their offensive coordinator and Alex Van Pelt as their quarterbacks coach.
Jon Gruden is denying a report that he turned down an opportunity to join the Jets’ coaching staff.
Gruden said on WDAE that he didn’t hear anything from the Jets, and he suggested that most of what’s been said about his potential return to coaching has been false.
“There’s a lot of reports we’re not going to get into. There’s a lot of stupid rumors out there. Some of these reports are ridiculous,” Gruden said. “Let’s just say that there was never anything from the Jets and I wish them well in their search for a new offensive coordinator.”
Gruden lost his job as head coach of the Raiders when offensive emails he had sent surfaced during the 2021 season. He has done some consulting with NFL teams since then, but he hasn’t returned to coaching.
The 62-year-old Gruden went 117-112 in his coaching career, which included two stints as coach of the Raiders and one with the Buccaneers. His Bucs team won Super Bowl XXXVII.
