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NY Jets: How Well Does Woody Johnson Do Hiring Coaches?

NJ Advance Media for NJ.com via USA TODAY Sports

Todd Bowles was the fourth head coach Woody Johnson has hired as owner of the Jets. To get an idea of Woody's success, I thought it might be worth looking back at how his hires have fared in the same year the Jets fired a new coach. Let's start with Bowles.

2015

We are only a year into these tenures so the book is very much unwritten. So far, so good for Bowles. Gary Kubiak won a Super Bowl in Denver, making the Broncos the clear winner of the group. Yes, Kubiak inherited a team that got a bye the year before, but he and Wade Phillips remade the Broncos into a team that won because of defense. John Fox also deserves some credit. A 6-10 record was better than a lot of people expected in Chicago.

Coach Team Record Seasons Notes
Gary Kubiak DEN 12-4 1 Won Super Bowl 50
Todd Bowles NYJ 10-6 1
Rex Ryan BUF 8-8 1
Dan Quinn ATL 8-8 1
Jack Del Rio OAK 7-9 1
John Fox CHI 6-10 1
Jim Tomsula SF 5-11 1 Fired after one season

2009

It is incredible that in a year where over one-third of the league hired a new coach that one of these guys did not have more success. Any good moments this group had happened early. Caldwell was in the Super Bowl his first year, but that seemed to be more a product of Peyton Manning in hindsight. Without Manning two years later, Caldwell could not prevent the team from falling to the number one overall pick. Rex Ryan had his team within a game of the Super Bowl in his first two seasons but never made the Playoffs again. Ryan's early days might make him the best hire of this underwhelming group.

Coach Team Record Seasons Notes
Rex Ryan NYJ 46-50 6 Two trips to AFC Championship Game
Jim Schwartz DET 29-51 5
Todd Haley KC 19-26 3 2010 AFC West title
Tom Cable OAK 17-27 3
Mike Singletary SF 18-22 3
Steve Spagnuolo STL 10-38 3
Raheem Morris TB 17-31 3
Jim Caldwell IND 44-36 3 2009 AFC Champion
Eric Mangini CLE 10-22 2
Josh McDaniels DEN 11-17 2
Jim Mora SEA 5-11 1 Fired after one season

2006

This one hurts. Two champion coaches were hired in 2006, while the Jets brought in Eric Mangini. Mangini was the prized pupil of Bill Belichick. He was supposed to be the next genius. It didn't pan out. Meanwhile, Payton and McCarthy are still with their respective teams a decade later.

Coach Team Record Seasons Notes
Mike McCarthy GB 104-55-1 9 Won Super Bowl XLV
Sean Payton NO 187-58 10 Won Super Bowl XLIV
Gary Kubiak HOU 61-64 8 Two-time AFC South Champion
Brad Childress MIN 39-35 5 One trip to NFC Championship Game
Dick Jauron BUF 24-33 4
Rod Marinelli DEN 10-38 3 Went 0-16 in 2008
Scott Linehan STL 11-25 3
Herm Edwards KC 15-33 3
Eric Mangini NYJ 23-25 3
Art Shell OAK 2-14 1 Fired after one season

2001

While Washington went with Marty Schottenheimer and Kansas City went with Dick Vermeil, the Jets went with Herman Edwards, a protege of both Schottenheimer and Vermeil. Schottenheimer's and Vermeil's tenures gained only modest success. Marty took Washington to a surprise 8-8 record but was pushed out after one year in a power struggle. Vermeil had a winning record and a prolific offense but only made the Playoffs once because of defensive issues. Edwards did make the Playoffs three times in five years, giving him the most successful tenure of this group.

Coach Team Record Seasons Notes
Dick Vermeil KC 44-36 5 2003 AFC West Champion
Herm Edwards NYJ 39-41 5
Butch Davis CLE 24-35 4
Gregg Williams BUF 17-31 3
Marty Mornhinweg DET 5-27 2
Marty Schottenheimer WAS 8-8 1 Fired after one season

While the Jets still haven't found a great coach, Woody Johnson's hires have not been terrible relative to his peers.