New York Jets News: Coaching Staff Continues To Come Together
New York Jets News: The Jets Name A Defensive and Special Teams Coordinator, and Eight Position Coaches
The New York Jets filled the most important position on their coaching staff, naming former Arizona Cardinals’ defensive coordinator Todd Bowles their head coach almost two weeks ago. He then named Chan Gailey the offensive coordinator for the team, but there was still a good amount of work to be done. The staff is now coming together, as Bowles and the Jets filled two important spots on the staff, defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator, in addition to multiple position coaches.
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For defensive coordinator the Jets hired Kacy Rodgers. Rodgers most recently was a member of the Miami Dolphins’ coaching staff as the defensive line coach. This hiring was a move that was expected by many, as Rodgers and Bowles have previous working relationships. They worked together on the Dallas Cowboys’ staff under Bill Parcells from 2005-2007, and then with the Dolphins from 2008-2011 before Bowles moved onto the Cardinals.
Rodgers has no previous coordinating experience, spending his entire career coaching defensive lines. He has drawn plenty of praise for his work though, especially with the Dolphins, as they recorded 287 sacks from 2008-2014, the third most in the NFL over that time span.
It will be a transition for Rodgers to have to cover the whole defense instead of just the defensive line, which will be a challenge to pick up under a rookie head coach. Thankfully for him though he will not be left on an island, as Bowles stated in his introductory press conference that he intends to have a significant role in the defense, but will not intrude on the play calling; that will be up to Rodgers to call the defensive plays.
Joining Rodgers on the defensive staff will be Mike Caldwell, Mark Collins and Joe Danna. Caldwell is following Bowles over from the Cardinals, and will carry the assistant coach/inside linebackers title. Collins is coming over from the Atlanta Falcons staff, and will be the outside linebackers coach. Danna has been a secondary coach with the Falcons the last three seasons, and will carry the defensive backs/safety coach title.
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The other important coordinating job Bowels and the Jets filled was with the special teams, and it looks like they hit a home run, brining aboard Bobby April. April is a well-regarded special teams coach, winning special teams coach of the year in 2004 and 2008 when he was a member of the Buffalo Bills staff. The Jets will the eighth team April is a special teams coordinator for, as the 61-year old is as well traveled as any coach in the league. Most recently, April was the special teams coordinator for the Oakland Raiders, where he oversaw one of the best kicker/punter duos in the NFL in Sebastian Janikowski and Marquette King.
The Jets also announced a couple of other positional jobs, as Karl Dorrell will be the wide receivers coach, Robby Brown will oversee quality control for the offense, and the strength and conditioning staff was put together. Justus Galac will return for his third season with the team, and his assistants are Kavan Latham and Aaron McLaurin.