Breaking Down the New York Jets' Top Head Coaching Candidates
Over the coming days and hours, the New York Jets will be making a decision that will impact their franchise for years to come: hiring a head coach.
Entering the third week of the post-Rex Ryan/John Idzik era, the two favorite head coaching candidates for the Jets are defensive coordinators that hail from the NFC West: Todd Bowles of the Arizona Cardinals and Dan Quinn of the Seattle Seahawks.
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On the surface, it is difficult to distinguish much separation between the two based well-respected defensive minds—they are even both New Jersey natives. Both may certainly go on to be quality NFL head coaches, but which one is right man for the Jets?
With such similar backgrounds, the only way to find a real distinction between these two candidates is to compare them directly in the most vital categories of coaching—at least those we can determine from observing their careers from afar.
On-field Results
The Seattle Seahawks find themselves two wins away from their second Super Bowl in as many seasons for no bigger reason than their defense, headed by Quinn.
While the Seahawks were a quality defense before Quinn was promoted to defensive coordinator under now-Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley, nothing should be taken away from Quinn after what he has been able to get out of his unit.
Yes, the Seahawks are talented on defense, but they live up to their hype.
| 2013 | 1st | 14.4 (1st) | 172 (1st) | 101.6 (7th) |
| 2014 | 1st | 15.9 (1st) | 185.6 (1st) | 81.5 (3rd) |
In the golden age of passing in the NFL with quarterbacks shattering records on an annual basis, the Quinn's defenses have played like it's 1975. Over the past two seasons, the Seahawks have been a dominant pass defense (and not a shabby run defense, either) when the game is designed to allow easy yards through the air.
Quinn's finest hour was last year's Super Bowl, in which his defense put on one of the most dominant Super Bowl performances in history against the most prolific pass offense in history.
So yes, Quinn has had pieces to work with—but he has met and surpassed every expectation.
Meanwhile, while Todd Bowles does not enjoyed the same level of success as Quinn from the standpoint of wins and statistics, what he has done with his various defenses in recent years is nothing short of remarkable in its own right.
Bowles saved his most impressive act for last, battling through an outrageous amount of injuries to still field one of the best defenses in football.
Not only was Bowles working without two defensive starters in defensive tackle Darnell Dockett and inside linebacker Daryl Washington, but season-ending injuries to quarterbacks Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton forced his unit to not just hold down the score—but to win the games on their own.
Even with their horrendous quarterback situation, the Cardinals still managed to yield a plus-8 turnover ratio, including several key defensive scores that turned out to be the difference in their respective games. Without Bowles' defense, the Cardinals' season would have ended a lot sooner than the Wild Card Round.
Edge: Quinn
As valiant as Bowles' defense has played, there is simply no matching the output of Quinn's juggernaut defense in Seattle. What he has done in the past two seasons is nothing short of historic, especially given his tremendous performance in the Super Bowl.
Experience
Results and statistics are great and all, but a couple seasons of winning is going to prepare a young coach for the pinnacle of their profession.
Ideally, a head coaching candidate has seen several organizations run, taking note of the philosophies and tactics that did and did not work.
A former player, personnel man and assistant coach, Bowles has seen the NFL from just about every perspective on more than half a dozen franchises. After a seven-year career as a safety for the Washington Redskins (including a stop with the San Francisco 49ers in 1991), Bowles spent a year on the Green Bay Packers personnel staff.
He would then embark on a 17-year career as an assistant coach, starting with Morehouse College and Grambling State before making the jump to the NFL as the defensive backs coach of the 2000 Jets. After stops with the Browns and Cowboys, Bowles was first put on the big-time coaching map after taking over for the fired Tony Sparano as interim head coach of the Miami Dolphins, winning two of three games.
Bowles finally landed his first defensive coordinator gig in 2012, taking over for the fired Juan Castillo. He was brought on to Bruce Arians' staff with the Cardinals in 2013.
Nine franchises plus two colleges as a player, coach and personnel executive. That type of experience is tough to beat. Bowles has seen and taken over for fired coaches before working for Coach of the Year winners. Bowles has seen firsthand what does and does not work as an NFL coach.
Quinn spent six years in college (William and Mary, VMI and Hofstra) before joining the 49ers' staff in 2000. After stops with the Dolphins and Jets (under Eric Mangini), Quinn returned to college as Florida's defensive coordinator before taking over the Seahawks defense in 2013.
While Quinn has a background worthy of a head coach, he does not have nearly the same level and depth of experience as someone like Bowles.
Edge: Bowles
A player, coach and front office member in nearly a dozen different organizations, it is tough to beat out Bowles' experience in the first-time head coach market. He even got his feet wet as a head coach as Miami's interim head man in 2011.
Staff
Whomever the Jets choose to hire, they are getting a lot more than just one man—who each coach plans to bring in as a member of their staff should certainly weigh in their decision-making. After all, a head coach can only be as successful as his staff will allow him to be.
Only Bowles and Quinn themselves have an idea of what their staff will look like when they are eventually hired as a head coach, but there is one key aspect—the offensive coordinator for a defensive head coach—that has been leaked.
According to Bleacher Report's Jason Cole, former Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan is likely to follow Quinn to his new destination:
As one of the few coaches to ever make Robert Griffin III look like a high-caliber player, Kyle Shanahan is a young, cutting-edge offensive mind the offensively challenged Jets would covet.
While Quinn has one of the most sought-after offensive minds on his side, Bowles' reported choice as offensive coordinator is not quite as exciting. According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, Chan Gailey, last seen as the Bills head coach, could run Bowles' offense:
Gailey has a history of making low-level quarterbacks play at a serviceable level (remember Tyler Thigpen?), but Shanahan's recent history with RGIII and Brian Hoyer make him a much better modern coach who can still develop himself along with a quarterback.
Edge: Quinn
Who is the right candidate?
Whomever the Jets choose between the two, they will have sound reasoning for doing so. Both men are highly respected defensive minds who have had success in many of their NFL stops.
However, when looking at the characteristics needed in a head coach, Bowles edges out Quinn by the size on a chinstrap.
Yes, Quinn's defense has been the better unit since the two landed in the NFC West in 2013, but Bowles' background as a player, personnel man and coach (even head coach) make him more well-prepared for the job.
What made Bowles such a strong candidate this season was how resourceful he was coaching the injury-plagued Arizona Cardinals. Quinn may be preparing for the NFC Championship game while Bowles' team barely stumbled through the Wild Card Round, but they would not have been close to getting to that game without Bowles' resourcefulness and willingness to think outside the box—two crucial traits for a head coach.
Every NFL coach is going to undergo adversity at some point; the Jets are best picking the man who has proven to thrive when circumstances are less than ideal.
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