Report: Mike McCarthy only interested in Jets coaching job
GREEN BAY, Wis. (CBS Sports) -- Memo to the Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Cincinnati Bengals, and Miami Dolphins: Mike McCarthy is not interested in becoming your next head coach. That's true, at least, according to ESPN.com's Adam Schefter, who reported that McCarthy is interested in one job and one job only: the New York Jets.
Former Packers’ HC Mike McCarthy doesn’t want to be considered, and isn’t pursuing, any other HC vacancy other than the New York Jets’, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 9, 2019
McCarthy was the head coach of the Green Bay Packers for nearly 13 seasons, compiling a 125-77-2 record during that time. (That's essentially 9.9 wins per season.) The Packers won the Super Bowl back in 2010 and made the playoffs in eight consecutive seasons from 2009 to 2016, but went just 7-9 in 2017 and were 4-7-1 at the time McCarthy was fired in 2018. In recent seasons, his offense came under increasing scrutiny as the Packers struggled to create easy throws for Aaron Rodgers, who often had to put the entire offense on his back for weeks at a time.
It is perhaps not surprising that McCarthy is interested in the job in New York, as Jets quarterback Sam Darnold is highly regarded. Darnold showed off his potential down the stretch of the season, returning from a multi-week injury to complete 64 percent of his passes while averaging 7.5 yards per attempt and throwing six touchdowns against just one interception during the final four games of the season.
McCarthy was the Packers' quarterbacks coach before he was the offensive coordinator for the Saints and 49ers, which led to his getting the job in Green Bay. Hooking up with another young passer early in his career, as McCarthy did with Rodgers in Green Bay, seems like a strong career move. Of course, that does not mean it would be the right move for the Jets. Yes, McCarthy had a strong track record with the Packers, but he also had Rodgers so it's difficult to know how much of the credit for Green Bay's success the coach really deserved. And considering the anachronistic nature of the Packers' offense in recent seasons, it might be a better idea to get a more creative mind in there to work with Darnold over the next few seasons.
As for McCarthy, well, he can probably pick his job over the next couple years. The track record he has is indeed strong, and GMs and owners are likely to find that reassuring. And just because it's reported right now that he only wants the Jets job doesn't mean he'll end up there, or that he won't be coaching somewhere else soon. Just ask Bruce Arians, who publicly stated that he would only un-retire to coach the Browns, and is now the head coach of the Buccaneers.