NY Jets fans ready to riot if disastrous head coach prediction comes true

The NY Jets stand at a critical juncture heading into the 2024 season. The team must make the right decisions in this hiring cycle to hopefully reverse a decades-long struggle and escape the NFL's lower ranks.

The Jets' hiring process has been extensive, both as it relates to their head coach and general manager vacancies. While some candidates are seen as excellent choices, not all have generated optimism among the Jets fanbase.

One such candidate is Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. ESPN's Dan Graziano recently made predictions for each NFL head coach opening, and Jets fans won't be happy with what he forecasts for their team.

Graziano believes that Smith will be the next Jets head coach, predicting that the team will miss out on each of their reported top two candidates. He has Aaron Glenn going to the New Orleans Saints and Brian Flores going to the Chicago Bears.

Needless to say, such a hire would prompt a visceral reaction from Jets fans. Some might even say Jets fans would riot.

Arthur Smith would be an underwhelming hire for the NY Jets

Smith is best known for his time as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons where he amassed a record of 21-30 over three years between 2021 and 2023. He finished 7-10 in all three seasons as a head coach.

Smith previously found success in Tennessee as an assistant coach and later the team's offensive coordinator. His most career achievement to date is probably getting career-best production out of then-quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

The 42-year-old oversaw the highest-scoring Titans offense in 16 years in his first season as offensive coordinator, even helping Tannehill reach his first Pro Bowl. The two best seasons of Tannehill's career came under Smith's tutelage.

Still, his underwhelming stint in Atlanta followed by an up-and-down year as the Steelers offensive coordinator in 2024 hasn't done much to bolster his reputation. Despite this, the Jets seem to be very interested.

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Jets owner Woody Johnson targeted Smith for their head coach job back in 2021 before ultimately settling on Arthur Smith. The team also attempted to hire him to their staff this past offseason in a senior offensive assistant role. Smith passed on the opportunity to be Nathaniel Hackett's babysitter.

The Jets seem to see Smith as a safe fallback option if they're unable to land their top targets. Mike Vrabel, their rumored preferred candidate, was hired by the New England Patriots this past weekend. Glenn and Flores are the remaining candidates reportedly in their top tier.

Glenn has garnered significant interest from the Saints while Flores has interviews lined up with a host of teams, the Bears included. There is a world where the Jets fail to land either candidate, forcing the team to consider someone like Smith.

Hiring Smith might not quite be Adam Gase-levels of malpractice, but it would elicit a similar response from a fanbase that is desperate for optimism after one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history.

There's no need for Jets fans to grab their pitchforks just yet, but they might want to keep them nearby. Arthur Smith is a legitimate candidate for the Jets' head coach position.

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