The New York Jets could explore the college ranks to fill one of its vacancies.
Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic revealed that according to league sources Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell is interested in the Jets’ head coaching gig.
“One name that I was told recently by a league source, a couple actually, is Matt Campbell the Iowa State coach – [the Jets] had interest in him I believe the [Adam] Gase job. Maybe it was the [Robert] Saleh one, I can’t remember. They had interest in him, but he declined to take an interview. I heard that he’d be willing to take an interview with the Jets,” Rosenblatt revealed on “Flight Plan.” “They do have Breece Hall [and] they have Will McDonald who he coached at Iowa State so that is an interesting one.”
Fascinating nugget from @ZackBlatt talking #Jets HC search:
He was told by league sources that Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell “would be willing” to take an interview with the Jets this offseason for the HC gig.
NYJ requested an interview with him back during the 2019… pic.twitter.com/OYX4BEAvpi
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) January 5, 2025
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Campbell Has Had a Change of Heart
According to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, the Jets requested to interview Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell in December of 2018, but he declined it.
Iowa State coach Matt Campbell did receive a request from the #Jets, source said. But at this point, he’s declining this one.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 31, 2018
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The Jets ended up hiring Adam Gase, one of the worst coaches in Jets history. Gase finished with a 9-23 record across his two seasons.
Cambell took over the Iowa State program in 2016. Across his nine seasons, Campbell has a 64-51 record. Those 64 wins are the most by any coach in program history.
He has been named a coach of the year four times (2015, 2017, 2018, and 2020).
Campbell, 45, has never coached at the NFL level. He has exclusively coached at the college level from 2003 to the present day.
Jets Should Give Campbell a Discount Double Check
The Jets should let bygones be bygones. Campbell rejected them in the past, but he is willing to hear them out now.
Gang Green owes it to themselves and their fans to turn over every single rock in their pursuit of finding the perfect head coach.
Campbell would be a wildly interesting choice. There have been great success stories in NFL history when teams have plucked successful college football coaches. However, there have also been some horrific failures.
Sometimes you have to risk it to get the biscuit.
It doesn’t hurt to bring Campbell in for a conversation and see where it goes from there. If he impresses, you could bring him in for another interview. If he doesn’t ring your bell, who cares? It’s just an interview but what do you have to lose by kicking the tires? Nothing.
Campbell is a program builder and a culture setter – which is exactly what the Jets are looking for. There is always a risk when you hire first-time head coaches, which is something the Jets have done more than not since Woody Johnson took over the team in 2000.
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Longtime College Football Coach Interested in Jets HC Job: Report