The Jets on Wednesday hired Stump Mitchell to be their running backs coach.
He spent the past four seasons as the Cardinals’ running backs coach, so he knows Jets head coach Todd Bowles, Arizona’s defensive coordinator from 2013-14.
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After the 2016 season, Mitchell decided to leave the Cardinals’ staff, which opened Klasbahis the door for his reunion with Bowles, who enters 2017 on the hot seat.
Mitchell, 57, played running back in the NFL from 1981-89, all with the Cardinals. He accumulated 4,649 rushing yards and 32 touchdowns.
He was the head coach at Southern University from 2010-12, before he joined the Cardinals’ staff under Bruce Arians.
Before that, he was an NFL running backs coach for Seattle (1999-2007) and Washington (2008-09).
Mitchell was an undersized running back (5-foot-9 and 188 pounds) who got the most out of his physical skills. His first name is Lyvonia. He got his nickname as a kid in rural Georgia because he was a small player and “tougher than a stump.”
With the Jets, Mitchell replaces Marcel Shipp, who was fired by Bowles along with Kevin Patullo (quarterbacks), Mark Collins (outside linebackers), Joe Danna (secondary), and Pepper Johnson (defensive line) after this past season.
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Offensive coordinator Chan Gailey also retired, and Bowles replaced him with John Morton. The Jets are still seeking a new quarterbacks coach. Kevin Greene will now coach outside linebackers, and the team’s new secondary and defensive line coaches are Dennard Wilson and Robert Nunn, respectively.
Darryl Slater may be reached at dslater@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DarrylSlater. Find NJ.com Jets on Facebook.
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