The Jets interviewed their eleventh and twelfth teaching candidates on Thursday.
Gang Inexperienced met with each Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik and Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
Slowik, 37, was born in Princeton, N.J. He has been the Texans’ offensive coordinator for the final two seasons. Beforehand, Slowik spent six seasons with the 49ers and served as their passing sport coordinator in 2022.
Slowik was a preferred teaching candidate after Houston gained the AFC South in 2023 with a 10-7 document. He interviewed with the Commanders, Falcons, Seahawks, Panthers, and Titans for his or her teaching place.
The Jets are the one staff that has requested Slowik for a training interview up to now this yr. He has no prior head teaching expertise.
In 2023, the Texans completed twelfth in yards (342.4) and thirteenth in factors per sport (22.2). Nonetheless, Houston’s offense dropped this season regardless of ending 10-7 once more and successful its division. The Texans had been twenty second in yards (319.7) and nineteenth in factors per sport (21.9).
Slowik has been praised for his work with C.J. Stroud, the 2023 No. 2 general decide. After Stroud was drafted, Slowik constructed an offense round his ability set. Houston’s offense is a West Coast system predicated on timing, sound footwork, and ball placement. Stroud gained the 2023 NFL Offensive Rookie of the 12 months award and was named to the Professional Bowl after passing for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions.
Throughout his two seasons in Slowik’s system, Stroud has thrown for 7,835 yards, 43 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions.
Not like Slowik, Smith has prior head teaching expertise, as he was the Falcons coach from 2021-23. He was employed after a profitable stint because the Titans offensive coordinator, throughout which the staff made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons (2019-20). Atlanta fired Smith final January after three consecutive seasons, 7-10, and 0 playoff appearances.
Pittsburgh employed Smith as its offensive coordinator. This season, the Steelers completed twenty third in yards (319.4) and completed sixteenth within the NFL in factors (22.4) per sport. Their offense did enhance in complete factors, yards, and turnovers from 2023 to 2024.
Smith offenses are recognized for emphasizing working the soccer. The Steelers had been ranked fourth within the NFL in dashing makes an attempt this season. Nonetheless, they ranked twentieth in yards per carry (4.1).
Pittsburgh’s offense was closely criticized for its lack of creativity, together with its Wild Card loss to the Ravens final Saturday. Baltimore defeated Pittsburgh 28-14 and held the Steelers to 280 complete yards, together with 29 dashing yards.
Reportedly, Smith and Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson didn’t have a very good working relationship, in response to Mark Kaboly of The Pat McAfee Present. There have been additionally reviews that Smith favorited backup quarterback Justin Fields over Wilson, who led the Steelers to a 4-2 begin earlier than he was benched.
Wilson led the Steelers to 6 wins in his first seven begins. Nonetheless, the staff pale late, shedding their last 5 video games of the season and their lead within the AFC North.
The Jets have forged a large web of their seek for a brand new coach and basic supervisor after firing Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas in the course of a 5-12 season.
Jets proprietor Woody Johnson employed The thirty third Staff, led by former Jets basic supervisor Mike Tannenbaum, to determine candidates and coordinate interviews.
Ron Rivera, Mike Vrabel, Rex Ryan, Matt Nagy, Aaron Glenn, Mike Locksley, Steve Spagnuolo, Darren Rizzi, and Jeff Ulbrich have all been interviewed for the Jets teaching place. Vrabel was employed because the coach of the Patriots on Jan. 12.
