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The New York Jets are starting the official interview process this week to find its next general manager.
ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter revealed one of the names they will speak with is ESPN analyst Louis Riddick.
“Riddick has been linked to multiple front office vacancies in recent years and interviewed for the Steelers’ GM job that went to Omar Khan in May 2022. Riddick is doing the color commentary for Monday night’s Falcons-Raiders game, and in part because of his ESPN duties, is expected to interview in the coming weeks,” Schefter explained. “[He]also interviewed for GM openings in 2020 with the Lions and Texans.”
Riddick Has a Very Interesting Resume for Jets to Consider
The current ESPN analyst started his football journey in the NFL back in 1991. Riddick was the No. 248 overall pick in the 9th round. He spent 10 years between the NFL, AFL, and the lesser-known WLAF [World League of American Football].
After his playing days, he transitioned into the scouting world with the then-Washington Redskins. Reddick was with Washington from 2001 through 2007 as a pro scout initially and eventually as the director of pro personnel.
He stayed in the division before moving to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2008. There, he started as a scout before becoming the assistant director of pro personnel and eventually becoming the director of pro personnel.
However, he left his NFL gigs in 2013 and joined ESPN as an analyst, where he has been ever since, in a variety of roles.
Other Interesting New Updates About the Jets Hiring Process
NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero confirmed that the Jets search process will begin in earnest this week.
Another name the Jets will interview is former Tennessee Titans general manager Jon Robinson, according to Pelissero.
“It’s just the start of what is expected to be an expansive search to replace Joe Douglas,” Pelissero said. “While the Jets are doing initial GM interviews first, they aren’t prioritizing that hire over the head coach. NFL rules prohibit interviews with coaches or executives currently employed by teams until after the regular season, and there happen to be some established execs who aren’t under contract.”
Long story short it’s easier to hire a general manager first versus a head coach. There are much stricter rules for the interview process with Zoom interviews, when you can do in-person interviews, etc.
However, it’s good to hear that the Jets have an open mind about the process. That should increase the chances of them getting a better candidate as opposed to entering this process with a hard fast mindset.
The key for the Jets is of course getting this right but also making sure that the general manager and head coach hire are simpatico. You want them on the same page and ideally, you want them to already have known each other before you hired them.
That was an issue back in 2015 with Todd Bowles and Mike Maccagnan. They didn’t know each other and it was an arranged marriage that ended up failing. The Jets must learn from the mistakes of the past to prevent them from haunting them in the future.
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