The Jets have begun their search for their next general manager.
On Monday, the Jets announced they had completed an interview with former Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff. WFAN host Sal Licata believes this might be their guy.
“I don’t know what other names will be out there, but Thomas Dimitroff would be a home run hire,” Licata said, via Audacy. “He comes from the Patriots. … He had success with Atlanta as the front guy and has had some time away. I think he would be a great hire.”
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Dimitroff was responsible for the Atlanta Falcons’ rebuild when quarterback Michael Vick was serving a prison sentence after pleading guilty to a federal charge in connection with a dogfighting operation in 2007. He drafted quarterback Matt Ryan in 2008, his first year in charge in Atlanta, and made the playoffs with coach Mike Smith in four of his first five seasons in charge.
He led the Falcons to the playoffs in six of his 13 seasons there, including a trip to the Super Bowl in the 2016 season when they famously fell to the New England Patriots after holding a 28-3 second-half lead.
The Jets will miss the playoffs for the 14th straight season, marking the longest such streak in American professional sports. The last time they made the playoffs, Mike Tannenbaum was the GM. Since then, they’ve cycled through three GMs, including John Idzik, Mike Maccagnan and Joe Douglas.
The next GM will likely hire the team’s next head coach after the Jets fired Robert Saleh and replaced him with interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich.
Dimitroff’s success in Atlanta is seen as an attractive option for the Jets, who have underperformed with a roster that includes the likes of Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner among others. Their 4-10 record is the third-worst in the AFC.
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Manny Gómez may be reached at mgomez@njadvancemedia.com.
