A 'strong candidate' has reportedly emerged in the NY Jets' GM search

The NY Jets weren’t joking when they promised an extensive search for their next head coach and general manager. With a reported 33 combined candidates for both roles, The 33rd Team, the company tasked with helping lead the hiring process, must be getting paid by the hour.

The Jets have interviewed a total of 16 candidates for their vacant general manager position at the time of writing, finally concluding their first round of interviews on Tuesday. It's difficult to identify a true favorite for the job, but one name seems to be picking up some steam in recent days.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported on Tuesday that Kansas City Chiefs assistant general manager Mike Borgonzi is considered a "strong candidate" for the Jets GM job. Borgonzi, who has garnered plenty of leaguewide interest, is set to conduct his second interview with the Tennessee Titans on Wednesday.

Borgonzi was one of the Jets' first GM interviews, meeting with the team early last week. The expectation is that he'll be invited for a second interview as soon as this week.

Mike Borgonzi considered a 'strong candidate' for the NY Jets GM job

A former fullback at Brown University, Borgonzi joined the Chiefs as the team's administrator of college scouting in 2009 and has worked his way up through the ranks of the organization in the years since.

He served as a pro scout, a director of player personnel, a director of football operations, and numerous other roles before being promoted to his current role in 2021. He's been credited with playing a large role in the Chiefs' three Super Bowl titles over the last six years.

Borgonzi is one of the hottest names in the GM hiring cycle this offseason and is expected to receive a job somewhere if not with the Jets. The Titans make sense as a potential landing spot and seem to be very interested as well.

The Jets have also been connected to Minnesota Vikings senior vice president of player personnel and former Indianapolis Colts general manager Ryan Grigson in recent days. Grigson could come as a package deal with Brian Flores a head coach and possibly Josh McCown as offensive coordinator.

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Borgonzi is widely seen as the better candidate, however. Despite his lack of general manager experience, the Massachusetts native has been Brett Veach's right-hand man since 2021 and is one of the most qualified candidates on the market.

Grigson may have prior GM experience, but his tenure in Indianapolis was underwhelming, to say the least. He’s often blamed for hindering Andrew Luck’s career and was known for being a poor drafter with the Colts.

We’ll have a clearer sense of who the true "favorite" is for the Jets' GM job as the team narrows down its search with a second round of interviews in the coming days. For now, Borgonzi seems to be near the top of their list.

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