One sharp turn for the New York Jets earlier this week was followed by another Thursday.
Jets quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator Todd Downing will become the team’s offensive play-caller, taking the role away from offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, New York’s interim coach Jeff Ulbrich announced during a news conference Thursday. This comes on the heels of the Jets firing head coach Robert Saleh on Tuesday.
Downing spent two seasons (2021-2022) as the offensive coordinator with the Tennessee Titans before joining the Jets staff in 2023.
Ulbrich said Hackett isn’t leaving the team, though, and the interim coach said he’s happy Hackett will remain because Hackett wants to see the Jets succeed. Hackett’s title will remain as offensive coordinator, Ulbrich said.
This move wasn’t stymied by quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Ulbrich said Rodgers was supportive of the decision to turn to Downing. Rodgers and Hackett have worked together for many years with the Green Bay Packers and the Jets with Rodgers outwardly defending Hackett through criticism during the past two seasons. In a Wednesday interview on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Rodgers denied having input on the decision for the Jets to fire Saleh.
Meanwhile, Ulbrich said he’ll remain the defensive play-caller even though he’s been elevated to interim coach.
The 2-3 Jets will face the 3-2 Buffalo Bills on “Monday Night Football” in Week 6.
Required reading
- Which NFL coaches are on the hot seat? As the Jets showed, it’s about the owners
- Jeff Ulbrich’s to-do list: From Nathaniel Hackett and Aaron Rodgers to (possibly) Davante Adams
- Could Bill Belichick coach the Jets? It feels unlikely thanks to 25 years of bitterness
- Who is Jeff Ulbrich? What to know about Jets’ interim coach after Robert Saleh’s firing
(Photo: Wesley Hitt / Getty Images)
