NY Jets miss out on head coach candidate they requested to interview

The NY Jets won’t be hiring New York Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.

The NY Jets have formally requested to interview six candidates that we know of to this point. However, one of those six candidates won’t be making it to his interview.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported on Monday that the Jets had put in a request to interview New York Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham marking the sixth name to join the team’s growing list of candidates.

But just one day later, it was reported by Mike Garafolo that Graham would be staying put with the Giants after signing an extension. That meant that he would not be pursuing head coaching opportunities.

Graham joined the Giants’ coaching staff this past offseason after previously serving as the team’s defensive line coach from 2016 to 2017. He spent the 2018 season as the Green Bay Packers’ linebackers coach before leaving to become the defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins in 2019.

The 41-year-old assistant has been praised for his work with the Giants defense this year as he managed to transform a defense that ranked near the bottom in every category a year ago into a top-15 unit in the league.

The Giants’ defense ranked 30th in points allowed and 25th in yards allowed in 2019. But under Graham, they finished ninth in points allowed and 12th in yards allowed — a significant improvement in a one-year window.

Players such as James Bradberry, Blake Martinez, and former Jets’ defensive lineman Leonard Williams all had career years under Graham’s tutelage which is why he was expected to be a dark horse head coach candidate this offseason.

NY Jets’ general manager Joe Douglas actually has prior ties to Patrick Graham

Graham has an interesting connection with the Jets having previously served as the defensive line and tight ends coach at Richmond from 2004 to 2006. Richmond just so happens to be the alma mater of general manager Joe Douglas.

Perhaps this connection would have given him a leg-up on some of his competition. However, it doesn’t seem like we’ll ever get to know.

The Jets have still requested interviews with five other candidates — Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, and Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley.

Expect more names to join that list in the coming days with the Jets expected to “cast a wide net” as they search for their new head coach this offseason.

But Graham won’t be one of those names.