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Rich Cimini, ESPN writer
The New York Jets, poised for an organizational reset after firing their coach and general manager, are turning to their past to help the process.
The 33rd team, founded by former Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum in 2019, has been hired by the team to provide data analysis and expertise in its pursuit of the two positions. The 33rd Team is a media and technology company best known as a football “think tank.”
Tannenbaum and former Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman, who served as an advisor for the Washington Commanders’ general manager and coaching search last year, will lead the project for Team 33.
The Jets, led by owner Woody Johnson, will oversee the search. Tannenbaum and Spielman will screen candidates and provide reference checks, in addition to providing data on hiring trends. Simply put, they can be a sounding board throughout the entire process. It is too early 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 serve as the Jets’ interim coach and general manager, respectively.
This will be the first time since 2015 that the team will look to fill the general manager and head coach positions in the same offseason. In 2015, the Jets hired former general managers Charley Casserly and Ron Wolf as consultants, and eventually hired Mike Maccagnan and Todd Bowles as their general manager and coach, respectively.
The No. 33 team has helped with college coaching searches, but this will be the company’s first search in the NFL.
In hiring Tannenbaum, 55, who also works as an ESPN analyst, Johnson is leaning on someone he has known since 2000, when he bought the team.
Tannenbaum worked as the Jets’ salary cap specialist from 1997 to 2005, advancing to the general manager role in 2006. Under Tannenbaum, the Jets made the playoffs three times, but Johnson fired him after the 2012 season.
As an executive with 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 resulted in Herm Edwards (2001). In each case, the team made the playoffs in their first season under the new coach.
Tannenbaum’s connection 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 his brother Christopher, will make the final decision.
The Jets’ most recent playoff appearance (2010) came with Ryan as coach; He was fired after the 2014 season. His playoff drought is about to reach 14 years, the longest active streak in the NFL.
Spielman, 61, was the Vikings’ general manager from 2012 to 2021 and made the playoffs four times. He conducted just one coaching search in that span, hiring Mike Zimmer in 2014. Zimmer lasted eight seasons and made three playoff appearances.
