Jets hire Todd Downing as passing game coordinator

The Jets are adding to their coaching staff. They have hired former Titans offensive coordinator Todd Downing as their new passing game coordinator per Ian Rapoport.

SB Nation’s Titans website Music City Miracles shares this less than optimistic assessment of Downing’s ability.

Jets fans will likely be disappointed by this news. The Titans averaged a pathetic 171.4 passing yards per contest in 2022. They were the league’s 30th-ranked passing offense. Downing’s offense was hamstrung by personnel-related issues all over the offense, particularly at offensive line and wide receiver. But Downing’s concepts and play-calling tendencies left plenty to be desired nonetheless. Nothing about Downing’s body of work screams passing game coordinator.

The Titans relieved Downing of his duties at the conclusion of the 2022 campaign. He was replaced by an in-house option in Tim Kelly, who worked as the Titans’ passing game coordinator last season. It’s somewhat surprising to see Downing land another NFL job so quickly after being arrested for a DUI in mid-November.

Downing took over play calling duties for Tennessee after Arthur Smith was hired as Falcons head coach two years ago. He previously had coached tight ends for the Titans. Prior to that he had a three year stint in Oakland with the Raiders where he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. That notably made him Derek Carr’s position coach. Downing also spent a year in Buffalo working under Nathaniel Hackett in 2014 as the Bills quarterbacks coach.