Getty Former New York Giants head coach Pat Shurmur making a call during an NFL game.
The New York Jets could be looking through the recycling bin to fill their vacant coaching gig.
Rich Cimini of ESPN dropped a new name into the potential offensive coordinator pool for the Jets: Pat Shurmur.
He said that the former Denver Broncos coordinator’s name has been circulating in the rumor mill. Shurmur was the Broncos OC for two years from 2020 through 2021 but was fired along with Vic Fangio at the end of that season.
Shurmur decided to take a year off from coaching in 2022 and appears ready to jump back into the mix in 2023.
Pat Shurmur Has a History of Being Fired
Shurmur has had the honor of being an NFL head coach twice during his illustrious professional career.
His first whack at the pinata came back in 2011 when he served as the head coach for the Cleveland Browns for two seasons.
After a short stint, he was thrown into the unemployment line. It would take him another five years before he got another chance as a head coach in the NFL this time with the New York Giants.
Also with Big Blue, he only lasted two seasons and then was given his pink slip. While his history running the entire operation has been incredibly shoddy, when serving in a smaller and specific role on a coaching staff, Shurmur has delivered solid results.
The 57-year-old, who will turn 58 by the start of the 2023 season, has been coaching football for over 33 years. That includes both collegiate and NFL experience.
Since 1999, Shurmur has been coaching exclusively at the NFL level with six different teams.
Specifically, Shurmur has served as an offensive coordinator for nine years in total in the league on four different NFL squads.
In 2017 he won the AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year award for his work as the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings.
Pat Shurmur Has Dove Back Into the NFL Waters
After taking a year away from the game, Shurmur found himself back in NFL circles this coaching cycle.
The Washington Commanders announced on social media that they had interviewed Shurmur for their vacant offensive coordinator opening on Tuesday, January 17.
We are interviewing Pat Shurmur today for our offensive coordinator opening.
There is a lot to like when you look at his impressive resume. He would check off almost every box the Jets would be looking for.
Shurmur has a ton of experience as an OC, as we documented earlier, which would be a stark contrast from the very green Mike LaFleur.
In addition to having experience in the role, Shurmur also has a rich history of developing young quarterbacks.
Some of the names that come to mind during his career include Donovan McNabb with the Philadelphia Eagles, Sam Bradford with the then St. Louis Rams and Eagles, and Daniel Jones with the Giants.
When evaluating the Jets’ offensive coordinator role, in a perfect world, they’d get a coach who could develop Zach Wilson. While the team is fully planning on adding a veteran, the front office has remained steadfast that they aren’t going to give up on the No. 2 overall pick.
Shurmur has a resume that says he can coach up a top-flight offense and develop quarterbacks simultaneously. While his history as a head coach has affected the perception among fans on social media, the reality is he’s a fantastic coach that could be exactly what this team is looking for.