Dec 30th 2008 6:00PM by Will Brinson (author feed)
Filed under: Browns, Jets, NFL Coaching, NFL RumorsThe New York Jets are in a precarious position right now, primarily because they were brave enough to fire Eric Mangini instead of releasing their 40 year old gunslinging quarterback. And now, they’re trying to make a splash by signing Bill Cowher.

Problem is that it’s widely believed Cowher wants nothing to do with the current Jets GM, Mike Tannenbaum, presuming he’s interested in the job for realsies. Which may have the Jets reconsidering their stance on not dumping Tannenbaum, at least according to MORTSCOOP.
A high-ranking Jets official told ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen that the team is still planning to speak to Cowher about its vacant head coaching job. No time or place for the interview has been set, but the official says the Jets would be willing to do “whatever is necessary” to land Cowher if he is truly interested in taking the job.

Cowher plans to speak publicly for the first time about the Jets’ opening and other coaching opportunities during CBS’ wild-card pregame show on Sunday, a source told 1050 ESPN New York’s Andrew Marchand.

Initially, ESPN.com’s John Clayton reported Cowher told the Jets he was not interested because he wanted his own personnel director. The Jets official’s response indicates the team is willing to let Cowher replace current general manager Mike Tannenbaum with his own candidate.
Of course, as TJB noted (and I’m actually of the belief that a “high ranking Jets official” might really be “Brian Bassett’s RSS feed”), everything SCOOP says needs to be tied to a frozen chunk of the Adriatic Sea.Continue Reading