Former Minnesota GM Spielman to Assist in Jets HC, GM Search

The New York Jets, poised for an organizational reboot after firing their coach and general manager, are reaching into their past to help with the process.

The 33rd Team, founded by former Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum in 2019, has been retained by the team to provide data analysis and experience in its searches for the two positions. The 33rd Team is a media and technology company better known as a football "think tank."

Tannenbaum and former Minnesota Vikings GM Rick Spielman, who served as an adviser for the Washington Commanders' GM and coaching searches last year, will lead the project for The 33rd Team.

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The Jets, led by owner Woody Johnson, will oversee the search. Tannenbaum and Spielman will vet candidates and provide reference checks in addition to supplying data on hiring trends. Simply put, they can be a sounding board throughout the process. It's too soon to say whether they will participate in the actual interviews.

Mired in their most disappointing season in recent memory, the Jets (3-8) fired coach Robert Saleh on Oct. 8 and general manager Joe Douglas last week. Jeff Ulbrich and Phil Savage are serving as the Jets' interim coach and general manager, respectively.

This will mark the first time since 2015 that the team will be looking to fill the GM and head-coaching jobs in the same offseason. In 2015, the Jets employed former GMs Charley Casserly and Ron Wolf as consultants, eventually hiring Mike Maccagnan and Todd Bowles as their GM and coach, respectively.

The 33rd Team has assisted with college coaching searches, but this will be the company's first NFL search.

In hiring Tannenbaum, 55, who also works as an ESPN analyst, Johnson is leaning on someone he has known since 2000, when he purchased the team.

Tannenbaum worked as the Jets' cap specialist from 1997 to 2005, ascending to the role of GM in 2006. Under Tannenbaum, the Jets made the playoffs three times, but he was fired by Johnson after the 2012 season.

As an executive for the Jets and Miami Dolphins (2015-18), Tannenbaum presided over three coaching searches, hiring Eric Mangini (2006) and Rex Ryan (2009) for the Jets and Adam Gase (2016) for the Dolphins. He also participated in the Jets' search that yielded Herm Edwards (2001). In each case, the team made the playoffs in its first season under the new coach.

Tannenbaum's link to Ryan will fuel speculation about a reunion, especially since Ryan has openly campaigned for the opening, but it's premature to say Ryan will be a candidate. The Johnsons, Woody and brother Christopher, will make the final decision.

The Jets' most recent playoff appearance (2010) came with Ryan as the coach; he was fired after the 2014 season. Their playoff drought is on the verge of reaching 14 years, the NFL's longest active slump.

Spielman, 61, was the Vikings' GM from 2012 to 2021, reaching the playoffs four times. He conducted only one coaching search in the span, hiring Mike Zimmer in 2014. Zimmer lasted eight seasons, making three playoff appearances.