Mike Westhoff is staying aboard as special teams coach of the Jets, a position he has held since 2001 under now three head coaches. This is a very positive sign for Rex Ryan. Even though there was no immediate connection between the two, the head coach was smart enough to realize an excellent special teams coach was already in place. The Jets would never find anybody who could implement as many varied blocking and coverage schemes as well as Westhoff has. Nobody even blinked when the Jets told Mike's successor to step aside a week before the season when he deemed himself healthy enough to go.
Westhoff made an interesting comment regarding his role in the search.
While Westhoff, who sat in the back row and listened intently during Ryan's introduction yesterday, was somewhat crestfallen to be passed over for the position, he is excited about his role on Ryan's staff.
"I certainly have confidence that I could do this job, so there's always an element of disappointment in that, but I'm quick to get over things as a person," Westhoff said.
It is disappointing to see that the Jets did not seem to give Mike a passing thought in the search. He has universal respect in the locker room and for two decades has shown himself to be nothing but excellent in preparation, scheming, and communication. Westhoff is the best coach the Jets have had on the staff in a long time. If he felt he was up to the job considering his health, he certainly should have been considered as an internal candidate more than Brain Schottenheimer.
In other news, keeping with the trend of qualified coaches staying put, Bill Callahan, who was so influential in rebuilding the running game this season, will remain offensive line coach.