As the Jets explored the possibility of hiring an offensive coordinator to coordinate the offense coordinated by Nathaniel Hackett, an offensive coordinator who did the job well enough in Tennessee to become a head coach was contacted.
As reported by Dianna Russini of TheAthletic.com, former Falcons coach Arthur Smith was “talked to about possibly being part of the play-calling process.”
PFT has confirmed that there were communications. However, we’re told that Smith wasn’t interested, in part because the role wasn’t clear.
The job Smith now has — Steelers offensive coordinator — is the one Smith wanted. Once it was offered, that was that.
The report makes far more tangible the reporting that the Jets were looking for someone who would supervise the man who supervises the offense. The more direct approach would have been to fire Hackett and hire a new coordinator. And that might have happened, if the starting quarterback who wanted Hackett to be the offensive coordinator would have allowed it.