The Nathaniel Hackett era has officially ended with the New York Jets.
During his Thursday, October 10 media availability, interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich announced a permanent change in play-caller.
“After a lot of thought, this decision wasn’t made lightly by any means,” Ulbrich said. “I’m appointing Todd Downing as the play-caller for the Jets moving forward. This is more about a different perspective, not necessarily a better or worse one. Just a fresh approach. Todd will now have full control over the game plan and the plays called during the game.”
Downing Brings Prior Experience as an NFL OC
If the Jets were going to move away from Hackett, Downing was the clear alternative. Already on the staff since 2023 as the pass game coordinator, Downing added the quarterbacks coach role this offseason.
He’s no stranger to offensive coordination, having served as the offensive coordinator for the then-Oakland Raiders in 2017 and for the Tennessee Titans from 2021 to 2022.
Jets content creator Matt O’Leary highlighted Downing’s 2021 season with the Titans, where they finished 12-5:
Points For: 15th
Yards: 17th
30+ point games: 5
20+ point games: 13
Ryan Tannehill’s stats that year included 3,734 yards, a 67.2% completion rate, 21 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions with an 89.6 passer rating.
The Titans’ rushing offense, despite Derrick Henry missing 8 games, had 551 attempts (1st in the league), 2,404 yards (5th), 23 rushing touchdowns (3rd), and 4.4 yards per attempt (14th).
According to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic, Downing’s offenses were particularly effective in the red zone, ranking 6th in 2022 and 8th in 2021.
Whether the Jets’ offense will improve under Downing is uncertain, but change was needed, as continuing with the same plan was unlikely to yield different results. At the very least, this adjustment could energize the offense.
Ulbrich’s Opportunity to Prove Himself
This marks Ulbrich’s first chance to lead a team as head coach. He gained some experience in the role earlier this year at the Senior Bowl, but now he’s tasked with a 12-game stretch as the Jets’ interim head coach.
Ulbrich finds himself in a rare situation for an interim coach, with a future Hall of Fame quarterback, a top-10 defense, and a roster loaded with talent.
The issue with former head coach Robert Saleh was his inability to maximize the team’s potential. Ulbrich’s task is to bring out the best in this group and help them reach their full capabilities.
One reason the Jets acted swiftly in moving on from Saleh was to see what Ulbrich could accomplish with this roster. Saleh had lost his grip on leadership, no longer motivating the players or inspiring belief.
Now it’s Ulbrich’s turn to take charge. Time will tell how he handles this opportunity.
