Jets on hunt for new offensive coordinator after Chan Gailey retires following disastrous season

The New York Jets have announced the retirement of offensive coordinator Chan Gailey. Although head coach Todd Bowles and general manager Mike Maccagnan are staying, it was clear the Jets needed to make changes following a 5-11 season, and there was speculation that it might begin with Gailey. Instead, Gailey, who turns 65 on Wednesday, will retire.

Gailey said in a statement that his decision was made prior to the 2016 season.

“I informed Coach Bowles prior to the 2016 season that I would retire after this season,” the statement read. “I thought it was best to tell him early, so that he could begin to think about how he would move the team forward on offense.”

There will be a few other coaching staff openings for the Jets to fill. The team announced that quarterbacks coach Kevin Patullo and running backs coach Marcel Shipp have both been fired, along with defensive line coach Pepper Johnson, outside linebackers coach Mark Collins and defensive backs coach Joe Danna.

The Jets will reportedly plan to interview Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks coach John DiFilippo for the offensive coordinator opening, according to ESPN’s Adam Caplan.

Gailey’s stint with the Jets was just the most recent in a long and storied NFL career. He has spent time with the Broncos, Steelers, Dolphins, and Chiefs as a position coach or a coordinator.

Gailey was the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys in 1998 and 1999, and he was hired by the Buffalo Bills as the head coach in 2010. He was fired by the Bills after going 16-32 over three seasons, then spent the next few years away from the league until he was hired by the Jets prior to the 2015 season.

In Gailey’s first season as New York’s offensive coordinator, the offense was clicking. Led by quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, it was 10th in the league in total offense and 10th in rushing.

New York finished the 2016 season 10-6, thanks in large part to the offensive performance. The Jets missed the postseason after a Week 17 loss to former head coach Rex Ryan and the Buffalo Bills knocked them out of contention.

The hope and expectation for New York this season was that the Jets would improve on last year’s performance and make it back to the postseason for the first time since 2010. That didn’t happen.

The Jets had a drawn-out contract negotiation process with Fitzpatrick this offseason and eventually signed him to a one-year, $12 million deal. Fitzpatrick went on to play poorly over 14 games, finishing the season with 2,710 receiving yards and just 12 touchdowns against 17 interceptions.

New York’s run game was effective, and averaged 112.6 yards per game, which was good for 12th in the league. The Jets had to rely on the run, because Fitzpatrick wasn’t getting the job done.

With the passing game holding it back, New York finished 30th in the league in total offense, and they were 26th in the league in scoring.

Fitzpatrick couldn’t avoid back-breaking turnovers, and he threw six interceptions in Week 3 against the Kansas City Chiefs. In Week 6 against the Arizona Cardinals, Fitzpatrick was benched are struggling in the game, and backup quarterback Geno Smith replaced him.

Smith tore his ACL in Week 7 against the Baltimore Ravens. Bowles decided to play Bryce Petty later in the season, and the young quarterback had some up-and-down performances but wasn’t consistent. He went on injured reserve with a torn labrum after Week 16 and the Jets had to finish the season out with Fitzpatrick.

Indeed, it was a frustrating year for the Jets offense. This was a tough season for Gailey to handle.

He also called this season “unsettling. ... Just with all that’s happened with the injuries and the way it’s gone. I’ve not been through one exactly like this.”

You cannot place all the blame on Gailey, though. New York has to find a franchise quarterback who can help with turning this team into a contender. For now, with Gailey’s retirement, the Jets just need a new offensive coordinator.