[Mehta] Exclusive Look Inside the Jets Mess: A secret meeting, a reckless owner and a GM stabbed in the back

TuscanyTile2 · May 30, 2019

Exclusive Look Inside the Jets Mess: A secret meeting, a reckless owner and a GM stabbed in the back

By MANISH MEHTA

| NEW YORK DAILY NEWS |

MAY 30, 2019 | 7:00 AM

The view overlooking Central Park from the library inside Christopher Johnson’s apartment made you think that you’d died and gone to heaven.

The clandestine meeting took place inside the sprawling Manhattan condo during a 10-day window in late November/early December, while the Jets were in free fall.

General manager Mike Maccagnan, top lieutenant Brian Heimerdinger, agent Erik Burkhardt and Johnson had wine over dinner, exploring the possibilities of landing former Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury, while Todd Bowles twisted in the wind for the final month of a four-win campaign, according to sources.

The clumsy plan was part of a larger, flawed strategy by Johnson that included back-channel conversations with more established coaching candidates during the same time frame, unbeknownst to Maccagnan.

Johnson’s series of stealth, reckless actions in the past six months have prompted decision makers across the NFL to question the leadership of this star-crossed outfit.

Jets owner Christopher Johnson held a secret meeting at this Central Park pad late last year to plot out hiring a new coach. (Julio Cortez/AP)

The secret meet-and-greet with Burkhardt, who ultimately landed a deal for Kingsbury to become the Cardinals head coach, was just a piece of a poorly designed strategy by a neophyte owner, who wanted to get ahead of a head coaching search, while keeping his current coach in place.

It also calls into the question the football infrastructure of an organization that has gone sideways or backwards for the better part of a half century.

The rendezvous at Johnson’s apartment was a microcosm of a bizarre six months for a wayward franchise. The Jets CEO and Chairman didn’t only go behind Bowles’ back during the final month or so of the season. He also strategically kept Maccagnan in the dark.

Johnson used a confidant as an intermediary late in the season to touch base with the camps of at least two established head coaches, according to sources. The Jets’ proposals were crystal clear: The News learned that the established coach would have total control with the power to keep or fire Maccagnan. There was already a faction in the building that wanted to move on from the GM, according to sources. Maccagnan knew none of it.

Meanwhile, Bowles was still coaching the team.

Behind the scenes of the final straw in the Jets rift between Adam Gase and Mike Maccagnan »

Pro Football Talk reported on Dec. 23 that the Jets spent about four weeks researching and gauging Jim Harbaugh’s interest with designs on making a run at the Michigan coach after the season. The Jets interviewed the then-Stanford coach in 2009 before hiring Rex Ryan and made an eleventh-hour plea for Harbaugh in 2015 before hiring Bowles, according to sources. Sources confirmed the PFT report that Gang Green made similar overtures this time.

Johnson, who had already met with Kingsbury’s agent in person in addition to having others reach out to prospective candidates' camps, issued a statement through the team on Dec. 24 after the PFT report: “Todd Bowles is our head coach," Johnson said. “There is no truth to the report of our interest in Jim Harbaugh.”

Johnson had plausible deniability since the intermediary wasn’t a Jets employee.

Johnson’s inexperience in the big chair has been magnified after a year-long honeymoon period. He could have easily avoided all of it by firing Bowles during the season and getting a head start on the coaching search. Instead, he resorted to covert meetings and turned to intermediaries to gauge back-channel interest. Bowles, in fact, insisted that Johnson let him know his fate the night of the Jets’ season-ending loss to the Patriots on Dec. 30 rather than drag it out to Black Monday as Johnson planned, according to sources.

Although Maccagnan and Heimerdinger shouldn’t be absolved for their involvement in an in-season meeting with an agent of a prospective replacement for Bowles, the Daily News has learned that the encounter came under Johnson’s direction.

Maccagnan and Heimerdinger’s futures beyond the 2018 season were tenuous. With their jobs on the line, it’s fair to wonder whether they had any other practical choice but to follow orders from their boss. They would have likely been fired with Bowles after the season if they offered resistance to Johnson’s desire to meet with Burkhardt to learn more about Kingsbury.

“(Johnson) was the driving force,” said one current Jets employee.

Despite Christopher Johnson's interest, Kliff Kingsbury lands with the Arizona Cardinals. (Matt York/AP)

Burkhardt, who met with Jets brass after Kingsbury was fired by Texas Tech (Nov. 25) and before he was hired as USC’s offensive coordinator (Dec. 5), told the News: “My client’s business will remain confidential among all parties. I don’t discuss matters of their employment.”

The Jets conducted a formal interview with Kingsbury on Jan. 7. Team brass reached out to Burkhardt afterward to let him know that they were still very much interested in Kingsbury, but wanted to complete their interview process before deciding whether to make a formal offer. But it was too late.

Kingsbury signed with the Cardinals — who paid the coach’s $150,000 buyout to USC — the following day.

Maccagnan — who was fired on May 15 — declined comment when reached for this story. Johnson and Heimerdinger (also fired this month) couldn’t be reached for comment. The Jets declined multiple requests for comment.

Jets’ Adam Gase shows no accountability after stabbing Mike Maccagnan in the back »

Johnson’s interest in Kingsbury was fueled, in part, by TV personality/sideline reporter Peter Schrager, according to sources. (Schrager broke the news on January 8 that Kingsbury was going to be Arizona’s next head coach).

The News reported last week that Schrager’s name surfaced during internal discussions about the team’s GM search in the wake of Maccagnan’s ouster. The Jets also told people that they felt comfortable turning to Schrager, who is a close friend of the Jets CEO, as a resource for opinions, suggestions or ideas if needed.

So, the fact that Schrager, who attended Johnson’s wedding last summer, had influence on the acting owner’s head coaching search shouldn’t be surprising.

Schrager, who didn’t return several requests for comment, said on television last week that he had yet to be contacted by the Jets regarding assistance on the GM search.

The Jets eventually name Adam Gase (l.) to replace the fired Todd Bowles and then dump GM Mike Maccagnan earlier this month.

Adam Gase has been running the GM search. The head coach has personally reached out to each candidate to make his pitch, sources said. Gase’s role is similar to Charley Casserly from the last search, minus the consultant fee. Johnson will have to sign off on Gase’s preferred choice.

It’s fair for prospective general manager candidates to wonder what they’re walking into on One Jets Drive.

Christopher Johnson’s recklessness, Gase’s savvy and the reality that nobody knows what will happen when owner Woody Johnson returns from his appointment as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom as early as 2020 is enough to give anyone cause for concern.

https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/ny-jets-turmoil-johnson-maccagnan-20190530-bqohcmaux5hh5ift6vk6ewkzkq-story.html

nico002 · May 30, 2019

https://images.app.goo.gl/s33gctLv8W6J8oN88

Ghost · May 30, 2019

This guy needs some pussy.

Augustiniak · May 30, 2019

This is such an irrelevant article. Can’t help but think heimer is taking parting shots here.

Joe W. Namath · May 30, 2019

More jet fans hanging on mehtas every word. Awesome!

Ohio State NY Jets fan · May 30, 2019

trash article posted to reduce spam - a new low from one of the worst;