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Adam Schefter announced today that the Jets are going to name Jeremy Bates their new offensive coordinator.
From a pure football standpoint, it’s a great move.
Bates, a Rice University graduate, has a top-shelf offensive mind, and has called plays before. From a football standpoint, he’s certainly up to the job.
But there are clearly some red flags there. Pete Carroll named him the offensive coordinator of the Seattle Seahawks in 2010, and he lasted just one year before being fired. The Seahawks ate the final three years of the contract.
Then after a year with the Chicago Bears, he was out of football for four years, in his 30’s, which are prime years for a coach.
Carroll clearly wanted him out of Seattle very quickly, and then he was out of league for four years.
One of the most important questions a reporter needs to answer in his/her stories is – “why?”
I know I have used this anecdote before, but this is the closest thing to a “why” anybody has on the Bates’ mystery.
“Did you see Jets just hired Jeremy Bates, as I recall he was bad news when he was part of Herm Edwards staff,” wrote former Jets staffer on Facebook when Bates was hired as QB coach last year. “Didn’t he punch out a wall or throw something at someone, can’t remember the specifics but I remember he was not very well liked and his stay was short.”
Bates was on Herm Edwards staff in 2005. By the way, the Jets’ offensive coordinator that year was the late Mike Heimerdinger, the father of the Jets’ personnel VP Brian Heimerdinger. Brian probably had a lot to do with Bates joining the Jets last year, and now becoming the offensive coordinator. Brian has a tremendous amount of power in the Jets’ organization.
Look, I’m not looking to cast aspersions on Bates. I’m just trying to do my job as a reporter.
I don’t root against people I cover. On a human level, you hope Bates is in a good place now.
But keep in mind, the Jets just fired an offensive coordinator who some people leaked out was combative with staff members.
Based on what that former Jets staff said, isn’t it possible the Jets are going down this road again?
Look, I don’t know what Bates mental state is right now, but I have noticed when we interview him, he sometimes seems like a piano wire about to snap. He comes across as somebody trying really, really hard to stay calm, to his credit.
I felt the same way about Vinny Testaverde, who always worked really, really hard to stay calm with reporters, often taking a deep breath before the answers.
Like I said, from a football standpoint, I think this is a great move. I think the guy has a border-line brilliant offensive mind.
From a personality standpoint, we shall see.
I’d say the best way to create smooth sailing here is to have a quarterback who can run Bates’ complex system with aplomb like Josh McCown or sign Kirk Cousins. Don’t force a young guy who doesn’t know what he’s doing on Bates.
I don’t think Bates likes this “learning on the job” nonsense at the QB position.
“This is professional football. This isn’t Triple-A.” – Bates in the middle of this season when asked why McCown was playing over two youngsters.
January 22, 2018
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