The Peter Principle

Manish Mehta reported that NFL Network’s . . .

. . . Peter Schrager “could be contacted for assistance on [GM] prospective candidates.”

Somebody from the team told myriad beat reporters this wasn’t accurate.

“A Jets source said that while the team respects Peter Schrager, the only conversations the team has had with the broadcaster are about him working on their preseason telecasts,” tweeted Brian Costello.

Mehta added that Schrager is friends with Christopher Johnson, and was invited to his recent wedding, to illustrate how close he is with the Jets’ owner.

So who knows where the actual reality sits with this story. You can decide that.

But if Jets do consult Schrager he might ask them why they fired VP Brian Heimerdinger, who recently was let go along with GM Mike Maccagnan.

In the fall of 2017, Schrager raved about Heimerdinger on an NFL Network segment called, “Schrager’s ones to watch.”

First he brought up Bengals defensive coordinator Paul Guenther as a potential head coaching candidate.

He praised Guenther for his work with the mercurial pair of cornerback Adam Jones and linebacker Vontaze Burfict, who both have a history of suspensions.

“[Guenther] is the guy who coaches them up and gets them right for the game,” Schrager said.

He went on to say, “Paul Guenther will be a head coach in this league.”

Guenther was fired by the Bengals after the 2017 season, and now coaches Oakland’s defense.

Then he brought up Heimerdinger as an GM candidate.

“I always give a front office executive to watch for: It’s Brian Heimerdinger,” Schrager said. “The young VP of player personnel out there for the New York Jets. Look at this kid – baby-faced (they showed Heimerdinger’s picture on the screen). He is in his early 30’s, but Brian is one of these guys around the league that everyone points to he’s the next one.”

Schrager praised the work Heimerdinger did assembling the Jets’ defense.

“He has a bright mind,” Schrager said. “You look at that young Jets’ defense, whether it be Jamal Adams or Jordan Jenkins; look at the developing corps the Jets have as young talent on that team, Brian Heimerdinger is one of the reasons why.”

Schrager stated Heimerdinger has a “genius touch.”

“[Heimerdinger] worked with Mike Maccagnan in Houston and came with him too New York,” Schrager said. “He is now a highly ranked official with the Jets’ front office in his early thirties and a guy who has a genius touch when it comes to scouting and the draft.”

And Schrager felt that Heimerdinger would be a huge help to the Jets in landing a QB.

“If the Jets are looking for a quarterback in this upcoming draft, Brian Heimerdinger is likely the guy who will be watching him on the road,” Schrager said. “Week to week to week, he’s the one doing the visits – a true one to watch – Brian Heimerdinger right there for the New York Jets.”

So Schrager probably would have been against firing Heimerdinger. He seems to admire the former Jets’ executive a great deal.

Some might ask why don’t you dismiss the rumor since the Jets’ official told the beat reporters that the talks with Schrager were about a broadcasting job.

Why?

Because I’m having a hard time figuring out where the truth lies these days.

A week before Maccagnan was fired due to discord with Adam Gase, the coach said he was “pissed off” at the rumors that he and the GM weren’t getting a long.

At the combine, Gase basically said that Darron Lee’s struggles were a media creation, and proceeded to talk about how good the linebacker played against the Dolphins. Then he traded him less than three months later.

At the owners meeting in March, Johnson raved about Maccagnan’s work.

So you can understand why I’m jaded right now, and some of you might be as well.

So I’m sorry, I know a lot of people aren’t fans of Mehta, but I’m not going to sit here and dismiss his report out of hand.

And don’t you think it’s possible if they were talking to Schrager about a broadcasting job, somebody might have asked him who he would pick as the GM?

Or if Johnson is close with him, isn’t it possible that the owner asked him who the next GM should be?

So I’m sorry, I will say it again, I don’t know where the truth sits on this story, especially since there has been so much misinformation tossed around recently.

And once again, I’m not saying the story is true. I’m just pleading the fifth.

But, if a person with the Jets actually thinks Schrager is somebody they should reach out to for advise on football matters, that is shocking.

When I first read the story on the internet, I thought it was from the parody site – “The Onion.”

That is how preposterous this concept is.

May 23, 2019

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