The New York Jets were the first team to fire their head coach this year, which means they now need to scour other team's staffs to see who will be available this offseason.
One coach that is widely expected to part ways with his current employer would make sense as a top target given his relationship with Aaron Rodgers.
That would be Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, who won a Super Bowl with Rodgers while both were with the Green Bay Packers. It is well documented that the future Hall of Fame quarterback loves to work with his friends.
The Cowboys don't need to let McCarthy go for him to be a candidate for a new job. His contract ends after this season.
In previewing the next crop of head coaches for this offseason, insider Jeff Howe of The Athletic made the connection. and outlined why the long-time head coach might make sense in the Big Apple.
McCarthy is on an expiring contract with the Cowboys, which naturally makes him a free agent. But with Dallas badly underperforming, it might be time for the two sides to go in a different direction. [He] may not be on many short lists, but he could make sense for the Jets because of his history with Rodgers. There’s also no need to worry about the way the 61-year-old would handle the pressure of the New York spotlight, which is a necessary personality trait for that media market.
The Pittsburgh native has a 118-119-2 record. He is a previous winner of the NFL Coach of the Year award, which he brought home the same year he led Green Bay to a Super Bowl trophy.
Rodgers got to the Packers a year before McCarthy did, but the two spent 13 seasons together. Their partnership was incredibly fruitful. It would not be shocking to see both parties try to rekindle that magic together with the Jets.
Rodgers built most of his case for the Pro Football Hall of Fame with McCarthy. He completed 64.8% of his passes and averaged 3,298 yards with 26 touchdowns to six interceptions.
While Rodgers wouldn't magically return to that level, keeping him with an offense and a play caller he is comfortable with could ease the regression.
Of course, close ties to Rodgers was a key reason Nathaniel Hackett was hired as offensive coordinator, but that clearly hasn't worked out.
While many decisions have to be made before this could become a reality, it makes some sense and will likely be floated once the time comes.
