Who is Darren Mougey? Everything you must know about the new NY Jets GM

After weeks of speculation and months of searching, the NY Jets have reportedly hired a new general manager. NFL insider Josina Anderson reports that the team has reached an agreement to hire Denver Broncos assistant GM Darren Mougey as the successor to Joe Douglas.

Mougey will team up with Aaron Glenn to lead the first Jets regime featuring a first-time head coach and general manager since 2015. Together, they face the daunting challenge of revitalizing one of the NFL's longest-suffering franchises.

Many believed that Washington Commanders general manager Lance Newmark was a favorite for the position, but the Jets expanded their GM search to include Mougey and Cincinnati Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown this week.

In the end, Mougey beats out Brown and becomes the youngest Jets general manager, at just 39 years old, since Mike Tannenbaum was hired in 2006. Tannenbaum notably helped spearhead the search for a new GM this offseason.

Who is Darren Mougey?

Mougey is one of the NFL's fastest-rising executives, having gone from area scout to assistant general manager in just three years. A former college quarterback and tight end at San Diego State, Mougey, who stands at 6-foot-6 by the way, began his post-playing career as a scouting intern with the Denver Broncos in 2012.

He would spend the next few years working as both a collegiate and professional scout before becoming the team's assistant director of college scouting in 2020.

When George Paton took over as the Broncos' general manager in 2021, he chose not to part ways with Darren Mougey, as he did with several other holdover executives. Instead, Paton promoted Mougey to the role of director of player personnel. That speaks volumes to his reputation within the team's building.

Mougey was once again promoted to assistant general manager in 2022 and became Paton's right-hand man. Remarkably, just three years earlier, he was still serving as a lowly area scout — a testament to his rapid rise within the Broncos organization.

Mougey has developed a strong reputation with Broncos head coach Sean Payton, a longtime mentor of Glenn. Payton's input no doubt contributed to Glenn and the Jets' decision to hire Mougey.

Mougey’s personality has often been likened to that of his former college friend, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell. The new Jets GM exudes a notable presence — his physical stature aside — but is ultimately known for his laid-back demeanor.

Now, Mougey, alongside Glenn, will be tasked with tackling one of the most challenging front-office jobs in the NFL: overhauling a Jets organization mired in dysfunction and misery for over a decade. It's a challenge many around the league believe he's ready for.

*Multiple reports confirm the Jets have now officially reached a deal with Mougey to be their new GM.

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