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It can work better, if . . .
I don’t want to sound like I’m waffling here because I’ve been critical of the Jets corporate structure.
I don’t love the GM, head coach and president all being equal and reporting to the owner.
I find this a little flawed. Why?
Because let’s say there are some issues on the coaching front, which there clearly where when you go 5-11, 5-11 and 4-12 three straight years.
Who is going to force the coach to make changes? It can’t be the GM or team president because they are equals. If you are equal footing with someone, are you really in a position access to demand they make changes?
And the owner, Christopher Johnson, who is somewhat hands off (which I will get into more in a second), isn’t a firebreathing owner whose going to ripping three top guys a new one if things aren’t going well – that’s not his style.
So J.P. Pelzman of Forbes asked Johnson today, in a press conference today if he need to change the cooperate structure after eight straight years out of the playoffs.
“I don’t think the organizational structure is at fault,” Johnson said.
Let me get to my point here.
While I don’t love their organizational structure, I think it can work a lot better if they nail this coaching search.
Here is why. Johnson is a hands-off owner, which can be a very positive thing if you have the right football people running things.
And the fact that he’s a hands-off owner makes this is a diserable thing. Coaches hate working for meddlesome owners who are constantly harassing them with nonsense because they don’t understand sport – like – “We started 1-4, and I want you to fire some assistant coaches.”
Johnson doesn’t do that.
His brother did this a little more like with the Brett Favre trade and re-signing Darrelle Revis for megabucks when he was over-the-hill, as a mea culpa to the fans.
I know some thing Christopher isn’t a good owner because he gave the coach a two-year extension last off-season coming off a pair of 5-11 seasons.
That was a bad move, but his motive was keep continuity and build the team right without quick fixes that were common in the past.
So my point is simple – the cooporate structure can work a lot better if they knock the head coach hire out of the park, Maccagnan gets the guy who he needs, and the owner will let them do their thing.
The current set-up can’t work when there are coaching issues, the GM can’t say anything and the owner is hands-off.
If you hire a alpha dog rock star head coach, this set-up can work a lot better.
And to me, this job is more appealing than some would you lead you to believe – a potential franchise QB, a star safety leading the defense, the #3 pick in the draft and $100 million in cap space.
And an owner who still leave you alone to do your job and stay out of your grill.
December 31, 2018
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