Dissecting Jets’ Hiring Of Kotite

Five years ago, Leon Hess decided to ditch the Jets’ decision-bycommittee setup and hire a GM. They’ve come full circle with Dick Steinberg’s health problems prompting a return to the committee and with Hess bringing home Rich Kotite, a link to the Joe Walton years.

Are the Jets any closer to being an elite team than they were five years ago? Kotite is no Jimmy Johnson - why didn’t Hess at least call? - but he is a good choice. It’s clear the power in the organization now belongs to Kotite. The Jets have better talent than five years ago, but the dreadful results have been the same.

Here are a few issues from this Jets mess:

Poor Richie? No question Kotite worked through difficult circumstances in Philadelphia, particularly being a lame duck. But that’s no excuse for the seven-game losing streak because under the same lameduck circumstances, Kotite had the Eagles a virtual playoff lock at 7-2, including that incredible 40-8 victory in San Francisco.

Poor Richie? Kotite had Randall Cunningham for only little more than the first quarter of the first game in 1991 and for only 3 1/2 games in 1993. And you always hear how Kotite coached his way through this to a respectable record both of those seasons. But in 1992 and 1994, when Cunningham was healthy, Kotite benched him. You can’t have it both ways: The no-Cunningham argument loses its punch because Kotite sat him down, first for Jim McMahon and then Bubby Brister.

Poor Pete? If given the chance, Pete Carroll would have grown into the job. He needed to get tougher with his players after being a real players’ coach as an assistant. The Jets owe Carroll the money from the last three years of his contract, but he has been advised to get right back into coaching and should land a spot as a defensive coordinator.

When Hess called Kotite from the Bahamas the day after Christmas, he told him he would fly home the next day if Kotite couldn’t wait. Kotite told him he could wait. But with the decision already made to fire Carroll, shouldn’t Hess have got on the plane the next day to inform him, rather than let him proceed as the head coach for the next 10 days? It’s admirable Hess wanted to tell Carroll face-to-face, but not so admirable that he was contacting his replacement without first firing the incumbent.

If Kotite brings back many of the ex-Jets assistants who were with him in Philadelphia, then it will really feel like old times. But this isn’t Bill Parcells reuniting the Giants Super Bowl staff in New England. The Jets were no better in the Walton years than in the Coslet/Carroll years.

When Coslet spoke to Carroll on Thursday, they talked about how the Jets got both of them. “You would hope he would get more than one year, but there are high expectations,” Coslet said. “Pete went in with his eyes wide open. As far as getting a raw deal, I can’t comment. One year seems kind of harsh. I really kind of understand where Leon is coming from. I wanted to win in the worst way for him. I think the world of him. You get to the point where you are almost there and it doesn’t happen, you let down so much and get so frustrated. Maybe the best thing to do is completely start over.

“It just takes time,” Coslet said. “Nobody allows anybody any time. Everybody is so impatient.”

Notable

The Carolina Panthers blatantly broke the rule of no contact with assistant coaches until their season is over and got slapped with a $150,000 fine and the loss of second- and sixthround picks for interviewing Steelers defensive coordinator Dom Capers. The Panthers knew they were breaking the rule, but felt it was worth the risk to get Capers. Why did Bill Polian, who worked for Paul Tagliabue in the league office after the Bills fired him, violate the rule? Simple. The Panthers were afraid Capers was going to be hired by a college, which obviously is not subject to the handsoff rule. Seems odd that the Panthers have been in business 15 months, they held off all this time hiring a coach, and then get nailed for breaking the rules. It’s the first time the league has docked a team multiple picks, but it’s not the biggest hit. The Dolphins lost a No. 1 pick for signing Don Shula 25 years ago… . The Bengals have lost two assistant coaches to the Panthers: Offensive-line coach Jim McNally, one of the best in the business, and wide receivers coach Richard Williamson. Typically, the Bengals are not replacing either, just adding further responsibilities to coaches on the staff. Cincy president Mike Brown believes 11 assistants are enough, noting it’s as many as a lot of teams have. “I’m not comfortable when you look out on the field and see coaches just standing there watching,” Brown said.

Steve Sidwell, fired as the Saints defensive coordinator, could wind up in Carolina with Capers, a former New Orleans assistant… . It’s hard to be impressed with the Lions in the postseason, but at least they get there. Thus, Wayne Fontes received a two-year contract extension.