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It really is a mystery. Is John Idzik going to keep Rex Ryan? Talking to a lot of people, you get a lot of different takes.
By all accounts, the two men get along very well.
The relationship seems very good.
On Sunday, before the Jets-Browns game, Ryan was having a catch on the field at MetLife Stadium with his son, and Idzik came over and was paling around with them.
When they make appearances together on behalf of the team – charity, business, media and the like, there seems to be a strong bond.
There is no evidence of any friction.
You so often hear about bad blood between coaches and general managers. It’s very common.
I remember when I first started covering the NFL, George Young and Bill Parcells with the Giants were always butting heads.
Reportedly, San Francisco GM Trent Baalke and Jim Harbaugh aren’t getting along.
You don’t sense any of that is going on with the Idzik and Ryan.
You watch them interact, and everything seems fine.
So with this being said, one long-time Jets observer, said to me today, he thinks the media is creating a story when there isn’t one.
This person thinks it’s a lock that Rex comes back.
This observer thinks the media is making stuff up because they need to write about Rex’s future, but they have no idea what Idzik is thinking.
But it’s entirely possible that Idzik really likes Rex, enjoyed working with him this year, but doesn’t think he’s the guy to take this team to the next level.
Idzik promised Woody Johnson, Ira Axselrad and company that he’d give Ryan a year to show what we can do.
Idzik is one game away from fulfilling that obligation, and being free to make a move.
If a change is made, Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn will reportedly be at the top of the list.
He’s a long-time defensive line coach, who has been a coordinator the last three years, two years at the University of Florida, and then this year with the Seahawks.
He was the Jets defensive line coach in 2007-2008.
He was the Seahawks’ defensive line coach in 2009 and 2010. John Idzik was in the Seattle front office, and from what I hear, the two became close.
So that could be the guy if a change is made.
Quinn has certainly paid his dues and seems ready to be a head coach.
He’s actually from Morristown, a few minutes from Florham Park. A lot of Jets players and coaches live in Morristown.
Why would Idzik move Rex out for another long-time defensive line coach who spent a few years as a defensive coordinator? That was almost Rex’s exact resume before becoming a head coach.
Well first of all, he might want his own guy. That is usually the case with a GM.
Secondly, Idzik might want more of a disciplinarian, more of a tight ship.
The Jets lead the league in pre-snap penalties in 2013.
And actually in their win over Cleveland, they had seven penalties in the first half.
Idzik might want more of an iron fist to help clean this up.
Also, Rex is often criticized for his clock and game management.
Idzik also might want somebody to clean this up as well.
Like I’ve said over and over, this is a major mystery.
I go over to beat writers, NFL writers, and just ask, “What do you think?”
And nobody knows.
Idzik knows.
And we will find out Monday.
December 26, 2013
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