Jets head coaching search is proof it can always get worse without Aaron Rodgers

The New York Jets' 2024 season was a complete mess. Not only did they miss the playoffs, but they fired head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas, and had to deal with the fallout of a damning report about owner Woody Johnson allegedly nixing a trade for Jerry Jeudy over Madden NFL video game ratings. But now, the Jets have to brace for a busy offseason.

Not only do the Jets have to bring in a new general manager and head coach, but also need to decide what to do with quarterback Aaron Rodgers. There is a chance that Rodgers will be gone, especially with Johnson giving the next general manager and head coach to choice to bring him back or let him leave.

Jets fans want a top head coaching candidate who can fix the offense and lead the team to the playoffs, something they haven't done since 2010. While the team is interviewing plenty of top coaching candidates like Mike Vrabel and Aaron Glenn, other candidates won't thrill Jets fans and give them flashbacks of Adam Gase.

According to The Athletic NFL insider Dianna Russini, the Jets requested to interview Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, who was previously the head coach for the Chicago Bears.

NFL Network national insider Ian Rapoport tweeted later in the day that the Jets also put in a request to interview Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who previously was the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons.

Jets request interviews with former head coaches Matt Nagy, Arthur Smith

The Jets fanbase knows all too well about head coaches getting their second chances with the Jets. Gase is the prime example of that after a tenure with the Miami Dolphins. Gase was let go after two seasons after going 9-23.

Going the "Adam Gase route" isn't going to win over a frustrated fan base, especially considering how both Nagy's and Smith's tenures ended at their previous gigs.

Nagy wasn't overall terrible, as he did lead the team to the playoffs twice, but with no wins to his credit. But in 2021, Nagy went 6-11 on the year after initially going with Andy Dalton as starting quarterback over then-rookie Justin Fields. Ultimately, the Bears opted to move on from Nagy after going 34-31through four seasons, with just one year with a winning record.

Nagy had been with the Chiefs since the 2022 season as their offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. While the Chiefs have won two Super Bowl titles, Nagy wasn't the one calling plays on offense. Instead, that was head coach Andy Reid. So that will be a cause of concern for fans.

Then there's Smith, who made a name for himself as an offensive guru during his time with the Tennessee Titans. Yet, his time with the Falcons was memorable for the wrong reasons. In three years, Smith led the Falcons to 7-9 records in each. Not to mention, Smith's play-calling ignored better overall talents on offense, particularly running back Bijan Robinson and tight end Kyle Pitts. Not to mention, the lack of development of a quarterback during that time, instead relying on Marcus Mariota and Taylor Heinicke.

This year, Smith can be credited for the Steelers' early success with Fields and Russell Wilson at quarterback. But heading in the playoffs, Pittsburgh is on a four-game losing streak, with the lack of production on offense standing out. On the year, the Steelers averaged 319.4 yards of total offense (23rd in NFL) and 22.4 points (16th in NFL) per game.

For the Jets, they should be going after the top options available in the coaching market to get the team back to respectability. Getting a Vrabel, a Glenn, or a Brian Flores would help with that. Not sure bringing in Nagy or Smith would help with that goal.