Jets’ GM-coach structure maddening — but not uncommon

[NYJ1]

 

https://nypost.com/2020/11/24/maddening-joe-douglas-adam-gase-structure-not-unique-to-jets/amp

SPORTS

Jets’ GM-coach structure maddening — but not uncommon

By Brian Costello

November 24, 2020 | 7:10pm

When a team is as bad as the Jets are, and have been, every aspect of the team gets the microscope treatment.

The way it call plays, the placement of players on IR and the running back rotation have all sparked speculation and conspiracy theories lately. That is life when you are 0-10 and have not made the playoffs in a decade. If you’re winning, no one cares.

As the Jets move closer to 0-16 and making a change at head coach, another aspect of the organization, one that seems to annoy many fans, is going to be scrutinized as well. The way the Jets have their reporting structure set up has irritated some people since the team changed it in 2015.

The Jets are set up where the head coach and general manager both report to the owner whether that is Christopher Johnson or his brother Woody, if he takes over day-to-day duties when his time as ambassador to the United Kingdom ends in January. This is different than the traditional way most fans think of with the coach reporting to the GM and the GM then answering to ownership.

The Jets changed from that traditional setup to their current version after the 2014 season when John Idzik and Rex Ryan were at each other’s throats but Ryan did not feel comfortable going over his boss’ head directly to Woody Johnson to voice his concerns about Idzik. Johnson responded by making the coach and GM equals on the organizational flow chart and it has been that way from the Todd Bowles-Mike Maccagnan marriage through the current Adam Gase-Joe Douglas partnership.

For some reason, this really grates on some people. I have heard complaints about this setup for the past few years and some people even assign blame for the team’s struggles to the GM and coach being equals.

Here is what I say: It does not matter.

It does not matter if the GM and coach are equals or if the coach answers to the GM. It matters who those two people are. This is what the Jets must get right.

There is an idea that the Jets are alone in this organizational structure. But a check with other teams around the NFL shows that 16 teams operate like the Jets with the two power brokers in line. There are 11 teams with the more traditional setup of the coach working under the GM. There are five teams that currently do not have their GM spot filled.

The Jets could very well flip how they do things if they fire Gase after the season, as expected. They could give more power to Douglas, who would be the point man on any coaching search. Or they could keep it the way it is. No one around the Jets is to the point where this is being discussed while Gase is still on the job.

Whatever the Jets decide can work. The Chiefs have both coach Andy Reid and GM Brett Veach reporting to ownership and they just won a Super Bowl. The Saints have GM Mickey Loomis as coach Sean Payton’s boss and New Orleans is one of the best teams in football.

The truth is the reporting structure only draws attention when a team loses … like the Jets. The Jets need to hire a good coach and Douglas needs to find some good players. If the Jets do that, no one will care if the coach reports to the GM, the owner or Joe Namath.

 

 

[NYJ1]

All I would really add to this is that either way, winning is all that matters? Like the author says, if you're winning no one cares about the reporting structure. 

However,  I also firmly believe that any GM should have the opportunity to hire their own HC. At least once, assuming the GM-OWNER working relationship lasts that long, the GM should have an opportunity to hire HIS guy.

[jamesr]

Another thing to blame Idzik and Rex for!

[68JET11]

Get why the Johnson's might have done this when Idzik and Rex were here, however that's changed now and they've made a commitment to JD with a 6 year contract. It's only fair that they give him power back to select his own coach and philosophy. 

[OilfieldJet]

The Johnson’s remain in the bottom quarter of NFL owners. They suck, their business sense sucks and their understanding of the game is abysmal. Nothing they have done works and the further they are from decisions that matter, the better, the writer is wrong. The Johnson’s should stick to uniform design and bobble head selection.

[varjet]

55 minutes ago, OilfieldJet said:

The Johnson’s remain in the bottom quarter of NFL owners. They suck, their business sense sucks and their understanding of the game is abysmal. Nothing they have done works and the further they are from decisions that matter, the better, the writer is wrong. The Johnson’s should stick to uniform design and bobble head selection.

This.  

This dual reporting structure is more likely to work when the GM and HC report to someone who has some football sense.   Reporting to a Johnson makes no sense. 

[BettyBoop]

This article is misleading and was likely written to solidify relationships.  It misses the issue which is at the core of the Jets problems.  The basic question of “Who’s In Charge?”. For example, who made the call to trade for Tim Tebow?  Who made the decision to sign Bell for all that money? Who decided to hire a headhunter to find Tannenbaum’s successor?  Who’s decision was it to not let Rhule choose his own coaching staff?  Go ahead Costello, try to explain how those decisions were made.  For years arranged marriages were created at Floram Park.  You said so yourself.  The problem with the NY Jets is a fundamental lack of leadership.  The issue may not be who reports to whom.  The process is there is no process.  The dysfunction wrecks from every corner of the building and everyone in the league knows this.  You’re right, the reporting structure may not matter as much as who they are.  The problem is the process (or lack thereof) of finding those people.

This post completely misses the point.

 

[SAR I]

Half the teams in the NFL have the same reporting structure where the GM and HC each report separately to the owner.

/endthread

/nocontroversy

/sorryeeyores

SAR I

[viffer]

No. They eff'ed up the uniform design; restrict them to the bobble heads...

[Matt39]

It’s fine if you hire competent people and then let the competent people do their jobs without meddling. The Jets do none of that.

[BettyBoop]

3 minutes ago, SAR I said:

Half the teams in the NFL have the same reporting structure where the GM and HC each report separately to the owner.

/endthread

/nocontroversy

/sorryeeyores

SAR I

 

[viffer]

2 minutes ago, SAR I said:

Half the teams in the NFL have the same reporting structure where the GM and HC each report separately to the owner.

/endthread

/nocontroversy

/sorryeeyores

SAR I

Maybe, but that half doesn't have a moron like Gase as the HC. If the HC knows something about running a football team, then maybe that system works. Unfortunately, we don't have a HC, we have Gase...

[SAR I]

Just now, viffer said:

Maybe, but that half doesn't have a moron like Gase as the HC. If the HC knows something about running a football team, then maybe that system works. Unfortunately, we don't have a HC, we have Gase...

Whoa there, Eeyore.

Adam Gase may not be running a fluid offense and his playcalling may be very basic, but you cannot criticize him on his ability to run a football team.  This rebuild is years ahead of schedule, the locker room is not imploding, young players are blossoming, and the team gives 100% on every play.  Pencil pushers and non-football influencers are not in Johnson's ear.  Gase got us our GM after he turned us down multiple times.  Every player that is off the team is one we didn't want or need.

Gase is running this thing brilliantly.  

SAR I

[BettyBoop]

24 minutes ago, SAR I said:

Whoa there, Eeyore.

Adam Gase may not be running a fluid offense and his playcalling may be very basic, but you cannot criticize him on his ability to run a football team.  This rebuild is years ahead of schedule, the locker room is not imploding, young players are blossoming, and the team gives 100% on every play.  Pencil pushers and non-football influencers are not in Johnson's ear.  Gase got us our GM after he turned us down multiple times.  Every player that is off the team is one we didn't want or need.

Gase is running this thing brilliantly.  

SAR I

The rebuild is YEARS ahead of schedule.

[Greenbloodblitz]

Here is what I say: It does not matter.

 I completely agree with this! Everything we read or is said currently is conjecture, speculation and opinion. There is no confirmation at all absolutely ZERO!

Nobody Knows the inner workings of what's going on at Florham Park. This could be the best front office we've had since Parcells era. Maybe the setup of Gase, Douglas  Chris Johnson, Hogan and Hymie is the next Dynasty! How do you know!?

How do you know Adam Gase is getting fired? How do you know where trading Sam Darnold!? Did they say they're tanking for Trevor Lawrence? How do you know the structure isn't working? I want proof I want facts not opinions.

Obviously it makes for great conversation but that's about it. None of us have any clue at all what their plan is, and I am preparing myself to not be surprised.

Because it's what I know and where I'm from I like to use music as an analogy. We all know the band AC/DC, but it was Malcolm Young who wrote All the Rifts and the songs. It wasn't the singers or Angus wearing his school boy outfit playing the great guitar solos.

Paul McCartney actually took over John Lennon's band The Beatles. He was the driving force and a workaholic. His real name is James and he was the last Beatle to get married. He was the first to be into the avant-garde psychedelic era.

It was actually John who broke up the Beatles. But because of the media we all heard otherwise. We heard that the rest of the Beatles didn't like Yoko and Paul quit? Sorry but that's not the truth. So that's what rumors, speculation, and opinion gets you. Lol

The original Van Halen band was called Mammoth. Then they wanted to name the band Rat Salad after the Black Sabbath song. The only reason David Lee Roth got in the band is because his father was a doctor and he was born into money and could afford a PA system to sing.

They hated Roth but he's the guy who suggested they call it Van Halen? Some people don't like his vocals, I love him and love his imitations of Louis Prima and James Brown. The simple fact is Van Halen does nothing without David Lee Roth. He's the ringmaster.

 It's all about chemistry, and absolutely none of us know what's going on behind the scenes. Part of me really loves the idea of keeping everybody in place as they are right now and I hope they come back next year and completely flip it around and show everybody up who doubted them. 

 

[BigRy56]

The structure is not the problem, the owner at the top of it is.

While the Johnson's should be held accountable for putting a structure in place where they can't deliver, it's not like they are doing something completely outside the box

[Jetscode1]

2 hours ago, OilfieldJet said:

The Johnson’s remain in the bottom quarter of NFL owners. They suck, their business sense sucks and their understanding of the game is abysmal. Nothing they have done works and the further they are from decisions that matter, the better, the writer is wrong. The Johnson’s should stick to uniform design and bobble head selection.

The new uniform is kinda meh.  Other than that I agree with the commentary here.

[SAR I]

17 minutes ago, Greenbloodblitz said:

Here is what I say: It does not matter.

 I completely agree with this! Everything we read or is said currently is conjecture, speculation and opinion. There is no confirmation at all absolutely ZERO!

Nobody Knows the inner workings of what's going on at Florham Park. This could be the best front office we've had since Parcells era. Maybe the setup of Gase, Douglas  Chris Johnson, Hogan and Hymie is the next Dynasty! How do you know!?

How do you know Adam Gase is getting fired? How do you know where trading Sam Darnold!? Did they say they're tanking for Trevor Lawrence? How do you know the structure isn't working? I want proof I want facts not opinions.

Obviously it makes for great conversation but that's about it. None of us have any clue at all what their plan is, and I am preparing myself to not be surprised.

Because it's what I know and where I'm from I like to use music as an analogy. We all know the band AC/DC, but it was Malcolm Young who wrote All the Rifts and the songs. It wasn't the singers or Angus wearing his school boy outfit playing the great guitar solos.

Paul McCartney actually took over John Lennon's band The Beatles. He was the driving force and a workaholic. His real name is James and he was the last Beatle to get married. He was the first to be into the avant-garde psychedelic era.

It was actually John who broke up the Beatles. But because of the media we all heard otherwise. We heard that the rest of the Beatles didn't like Yoko and Paul quit? Sorry but that's not the truth. So that's what rumors, speculation, and opinion gets you. Lol

The original Van Halen band was called Mammoth. Then they wanted to name the band Rat Salad after the Black Sabbath song. The only reason David Lee Roth got in the band is because his father was a doctor and he was born into money and could afford a PA system to sing.

They hated Roth but he's the guy who suggested they call it Van Halen? Some people don't like his vocals, I love him and love his imitations of Louis Prima and James Brown. The simple fact is Van Halen does nothing without David Lee Roth. He's the ringmaster.

 It's all about chemistry, and absolutely none of us know what's going on behind the scenes. Part of me really loves the idea of keeping everybody in place as they are right now and I hope they come back next year and completely flip it around and show everybody up who doubted them. 

 

Great post GBB.  

Christopher Johnson is clearly fed up with the Jets being the league's media punching bags and he's fighting back.  He's going to do what he wants, he's not going to listen to the clickbait media or the self-important Klecko-jersey-wearing Eeyore's anymore. 

Gase is the Football Man of Florham Park and those who can't accept that are in for a rude awakening come February.

Can't wait!

SAR I

[Saul Goodman]

Semi-related thought - it is known that Gase is very well-liked by ownership. Rather than fire him outright I wonder if he might be encouraged/forced into a front office role following this season. His days of head coaching are probably over, would be a way to keep him within the organization, while also placating the fanbase by hiring a new HC.  

[#27TheDominator]

34 minutes ago, Saul Goodman said:

Semi-related thought - it is known that Gase is very well-liked by ownership. Rather than fire him outright I wonder if he might be encouraged/forced into a front office role following this season. His days of head coaching are probably over, would be a way to keep him within the organization, while also placating the fanbase by hiring a new HC.  

After all the Machiavellian sh*t he pulled to get rid of Maccagnan?  I wouldn't let that guy within 3 miles of the facility.

[varjet]

46 minutes ago, Saul Goodman said:

Semi-related thought - it is known that Gase is very well-liked by ownership. Rather than fire him outright I wonder if he might be encouraged/forced into a front office role following this season. His days of head coaching are probably over, would be a way to keep him within the organization, while also placating the fanbase by hiring a new HC.  

Totally Peter Principle, but I can see that happening.  

[Jets Voice of Reason]

3 hours ago, Matt39 said:

It’s fine if you hire competent people and then let the competent people do their jobs without meddling. The Jets do none of that.

It’s literally just this. The structure just requires a strong leader at the top. The Jets are incompetent and don’t have that because the Johnsons are bad owners. 

[Icer]

1 hour ago, #27TheDominator said:

After all the Machiavellian sh*t he pulled to get rid of Maccagnan?  I wouldn't let that guy within 3 miles of the facility.

All he had to do was show CJ the contracts Big Mac handed out to an ILB and washed up RB lol

[viffer]

4 hours ago, SAR I said:

Whoa there, Eeyore.

Adam Gase may not be running a fluid offense and his playcalling may be very basic, but you cannot criticize him on his ability to run a football team.  This rebuild is years ahead of schedule, the locker room is not imploding, young players are blossoming, and the team gives 100% on every play.  Pencil pushers and non-football influencers are not in Johnson's ear.  Gase got us our GM after he turned us down multiple times.  Every player that is off the team is one we didn't want or need.

Gase is running this thing brilliantly.  

SAR I

Yes, at 0-10 Gase is doing brilliantly. If he wins one game are you going to call for coach of the year? ?

[SAR I]

1 hour ago, viffer said:

Yes, at 0-10 Gase is doing brilliantly. If he wins one game are you going to call for coach of the year? ?

With a roster ruined by a decade of the worst drafts in the NFL and a dysfunctional front office sabotaging our chances at success, Adam Gase is not judged on W's and L's.  He is judged by how the franchise is proceeding towards its future.  He's an A+ for that.

The concept of winning football games went out the window Week 4 when Darnold busted, the injuries piled up, and the fire sale started.  From that point forward it wasn't about the record.  It was about the rebuild.

SAR I

[BettyBoop]

36 minutes ago, SAR I said:

With a roster ruined by a decade of the worst drafts in the NFL and a dysfunctional front office sabotaging our chances at success, Adam Gase is not judged on W's and L's.  He is judged by how the franchise is proceeding towards its future.  He's an A+ for that.

The concept of winning football games went out the window Week 4 when Darnold busted, the injuries piled up, and the fire sale started.  From that point forward it wasn't about the record.  It was about the rebuild.

SORE I

 

[Greenbloodblitz]

7 hours ago, Saul Goodman said:

Semi-related thought - it is known that Gase is very well-liked by ownership. Rather than fire him outright I wonder if he might be encouraged/forced into a front office role following this season. His days of head coaching are probably over, would be a way to keep him within the organization, while also placating the fanbase by hiring a new HC.  

 I've thought of this too. So let me throw this out there and maybe you can take a flyer on it?

Maybe... Just maybe, these guys are all on the same page and they actually have a plan? Maybe they're not tanking for Trevor and they plan on keeping Sam? Maybe they're giving Douglas as much ammo in the draft as he needs?

Do you think it's at all possible that when Gase came in and spoke to Chris Johnson, he gave him a true heartfelt outsider's opinion? In other words this is what the Jets are perceived as around the league!

Maybe Dowell Loggains is the guy getting sent packing, and it's as simple as bringing Jim Bob Cooter to the offensive coordinator role?

Hey I'm probably wrong but one can dream can't he? I'd like to thank the guys getting paid millions of dollars actually have a plan. They just completely redid the front office from top to bottom, from the president to the ball boys.

 Like I said I could be totally wrong, but take a look at McVay or Shanahan. In my opinion ...offensive Guru, quarterback Whisperer is all made up s***! But they're absolutely is something to the fact that our head coach was sharing an Uber with Bill Belichick coming back and forth to the scouting combine.

There are only 32 NFL teams and only 32 head coaches. There's a reason that Gase not only became a head coach, but somehow changed the front office of our entire organization.

Maybe he's thinking way bigger than we can see it?

[Larz]

I believe it became more popular after the chief’s drama with pioli and Haley 

[Dcat]

14 hours ago, NYJ1 said:

 

 

The truth is the reporting structure only draws attention when a team loses … like the Jets. The Jets need to hire a good coach and Douglas needs to find some good players. If the Jets do that, no one will care if the coach reports to the GM, the owner or Joe Namath.

 

 

What the author neglects is that the team has lost consistently through TWO decades since the new owners implemented said reporting structure.  Over 20 years.  One would think it's past time to change to a different structure.  Doing the same thing for 20+ years with the same result and expecting a different result next year is just stupid or insane.  I don't think Woody is insane.  His narcissistic reporting structure sucks and is a PRIMARY CAUSE of the dysfunction which is a cancer throughout the Jets organization.  He is incompetent, won't admit it, and wants everything to funnel through him while pretending to be non intrusive.  

[Integrity28]

16 hours ago, NYJ1 said:

The Jets changed from that traditional setup to their current version after the 2014 season when John Idzik and Rex Ryan were at each other’s throats but Ryan did not feel comfortable going over his boss’ head directly to Woody Johnson

Of course this stupid dynamic was put in place to placate Rex during his NPD excuse making, blame casting years

[Beerfish]

The structure is the problems, very very few owner have that ability and back ground to have this work.  But one one guy did okay with it (jerry jones) everyone and their dog wants if that way.  If the team has a franchise Qb and are good pretty well every year then the problems are not great, the moment the team falls off the backstabbing starts.

All I know is that for the New York Jets this does not work at all because the owners and CEO have no feel for the tam or game and are easily sucked in.

[Jetsfan80]

15 hours ago, BigRy56 said:

The structure is not the problem, the owner at the top of it is.

While the Johnson's should be held accountable for putting a structure in place where they can't deliver, it's not like they are doing something completely outside the box

Exactly.  This structure only works if you have competent ownership.  If you don't, they need to hire a VP of Football Operations and get the hell out of the way.  

[ECURB]

9 hours ago, Dcat said:

What the author neglects is that the team has lost consistently through TWO decades since the new owners implemented said reporting structure.  Over 20 years.  One would think it's past time to change to a different structure.  Doing the same thing for 20+ years with the same result and expecting a different result next year is just stupid or insane.  I don't think Woody is insane.  His narcissistic reporting structure sucks and is a PRIMARY CAUSE of the dysfunction which is a cancer throughout the Jets organization.  He is incompetent, won't admit it, and wants everything to funnel through him while pretending to be non intrusive.  

If you actually read the article it has been since 2014.

[Dcat]

2 hours ago, ECURB said:

If you actually read the article it has been since 2014.

Yeah.  The article is incorrect with that.  The Johnsons have had everyone report to them either directly or indirectly since they bought the team.  It may not have been has clearly laid out or obvious, but the GM has not had control over the HC here.  

And the point is that this structure has failed miserably.  You say it is 7 years of failure and I say it is 20 years of failure.  Regardless, the structure here is terrible and will always fail because the guy (s) at the top (Johnsons) always make the worst decisions.  As long as they retain that control, this team is doomed.

[CanadienJetsFan]

The problem isn't this 2-way direct line to the owner structure. The problem has historically been that ownership gets in the way in the decision-making process. That's what worries me. History always seems to repeat itself when talking about the Johnsons.

AND.....WOODY'S SOON TO RETURN..