The New York Jets recently conducted interviews with Arthur Smith, the offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Bobby Slowik, who currently holds the same position with the Houston Texans, as part of their search for a new head coach.
With these latest meetings, the Jets have now engaged with 12 known candidates regarding their coaching vacancy.
In addition to Smith and Slowik, the team has also spoken with a range of potential candidates including Aaron Glenn, Vance Joseph, Mike Locksley, Matt Nagy, Ron Rivera, Darren Rizzi, Rex Ryan, Steve Spagnuolo, Jeff Ulbrich, and Mike Vrabel, the latter of whom has recently been appointed head coach of the New England Patriots.
Looking ahead, the Jets are set to meet with Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley in the near future.
Arthur Smith, who is 42 years old, previously served as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 2021 to 2023. He was seen as a top candidate for the Jets’ head coaching role in 2021 and interviewed with them before the organization ultimately chose Robert Saleh. Shortly after, the Falcons appointed Smith, where he recorded a 21-30 record during his tenure, experiencing three consecutive 7-10 seasons before being dismissed following the 2023 season.
Under Mike Tomlin’s leadership, Smith has been the architect of the Steelers’ offense this past season, leading to various improvements with quarterback Russell Wilson, which culminated in a playoff berth for the team. Smith’s coaching background encompasses ten years with the Tennessee Titans, where he held the offensive coordinator position for the last two years of his tenure. He also has experience as a defensive quality control coach with Washington and has coaching stints at North Carolina and Mississippi during his college career.
Bobby Slowik, 37, participated in a video interview with the Jets while the Texans remain focused on their playoff matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs this Saturday.
In his second year leading the Texans’ offense, Slowik has been working closely with quarterback C.J. Stroud, who was recognized as the AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year last season and has emerged as one of the league’s most exciting young talents.
Slowik’s father, Bob, is a coach in the Canadian Football League following years of experience as an NFL assistant. He spent six years as an assistant to Kyle Shanahan with the San Francisco 49ers before joining the Texans. Slowik began his professional coaching career as a video assistant for Washington back in 2010, subsequently transitioning to the role of defensive assistant for three years. He then worked at Pro Football Focus as a senior analyst for three years before making his way to the 49ers.
In parallel to the head coaching search, the Jets are also actively seeking a new general manager. They have interviewed 15 candidates for this position, which includes Green Bay Packers executive Jon-Eric Sullivan and Miami Dolphins assistant general manager Brian Gaine earlier this week.
