The day the Jets introduced Robert Saleh as their new coach, they also said that general manager Joe Douglas has more power.
Saleh will now report directly to Douglas, and Douglas will report to owners Woody and Christopher Johnson. The last three Jets GM / coach combinations reported directly to the Johnsons, making them equal in the organization. Now, Douglas has grown, a sign of Johnsons’ faith in their GM.
“This structure has changed,” said Christopher Johnson. “Joe will report to me [and Woody]. Robert will report to Joe. It seems like a clean and simple way to do things, but honestly it doesn’t change much. We already have very good communication. I don’t think that will change things that much really. ”
The organizational structure had been a point of dismay for Jets fans, but many teams in the league (about half) had the same structure. The problem with the Jets was the people in these jobs, not who they reported them to.
Woody Johnson is scheduled to take control of the team shortly after his term as ambassador to the United Kingdom ended on Wednesday. Christopher Johnson, who led the team in Woody’s absence, will retain an important role in the organization, but Woody will again be the one to make decisions.
The Jets have officially announced the hiring of Mike LaFleur as offensive coordinator and Jeff Ulbrich as defensive coordinator. LaFleur comes to the Jets from the 49ers, for which he was the game’s coordinator. Ulbrich coached the Falcons quietly before being promoted to defensive coordinator after the team fired Dan Quinn and promoted Raheem Morris to interim head coach.
Saleh has not yet hired a special team coordinator, but said he will keep Brant Boyer, who has been with the Jets since 2016, when former coach Todd Bowles hired him. He said he plans to keep coach Dennard Wilson, who has been with the Jets since 2017.
The other employees announced by Saleh were: Rob Calabrese (defenders), John Benton (offensive line), Taylor Embree (defenders), Ron Middleton (tight ends), Miles Austin (wide receivers), Greg Knapp (passing game specialist ), Billy VandeMerkt (offensive assistant), Aaron Whitecotton (defensive line), Nate Ollie (defensive line assistant), Ricky Manning Jr. (defensive assistant), Hayes Pullard (defensive assistant).
Saleh also retained three coaches from Adam Gase’s staff: Todd Washington (offensive assistant), Mack Brown (offensive assistant) and Chip Vaughn (defensive assistant).
Saleh talked a lot about DT Quinnen Williams. The 49ers had No. 2 in the 2019 general election, when the Jets withdrew Williams from third place, so Saleh researched Williams.
“I absolutely love Quinnen,” Saleh said. “Very happy to take his seat belt off the harness and let him go. In this scheme of making it go vertically, of moving all that mass in the direction in which it has to go, I am very excited about the potential it will have. I liked going out. Obviously, I took it [Nick] Bosa. He was right there as part of the discussion. I can assure you of that. As for this young man, the mentality, the athleticism, the strength, the love for football, I am very excited to see him in our system, especially in front of the way we project with that style of attack in front.