The Jets have just one assistant coaching vacancy remaining — quarterbacks coach.
It might soon be filled. They are targeting former Seahawks offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates for the job, according to The MMQB’s Albert Breer, who reported Bates “comes highly recommended” by former NFL head coaches Jon Gruden and Mike Shanahan.
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Bates, 40, has been out of the league for the past four seasons. He most recently spent 2012 as the Bears’ quarterbacks coach, but lasted just one season in Chicago. He was the Jets’ quarterbacks coach in 2005 under Herman Edwards. Bates worked under Shanahan with the Broncos and under Gruden with the Buccaneers, spending three years with both.
Between Bates’ time with the Broncos and Bears, he has spent three seasons (2007-08 and 2012) coaching quarterback Jay Cutler, a 33-year-old whom the Bears could soon release. If that happens, Cutler might be a possible free agent pickup for the Jets.
Bates knows the Jets’ new offensive coordinator, John Morton, because they worked together at the University of Southern California. Bates was USC’s assistant head coach for offense and quarterbacks coach in 2009. Morton was at USC from 2007-10. Morton spent one season, 2009, as USC’s offensive coordinator. So he and Bates worked closely together.
When Pete Carroll left USC to take the Seahawks’ head coaching job in 2010, Bates went with him, and became Seattle’s offensive coordinator. But he was replaced by Darrell Bevell before the 2011 season. Bates landed in Chicago in 2012, but was soon fired again after just one season, when Marc Trestman took over as head coach.
What did Bates do while out of coaching, from 2013-16? Well, in 2014 he spent five months solo hiking the 2,900-mile Continental Divide Trail from Mexico to Canada.
Bates was with the Buccaneers from 2002-04, including 2004 as their quarterbacks coach. He then landed with the Jets for one season under Edwards.
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Before his lone year at USC, Bates was with the Broncos from 2006-08, including 2008 as their quarterbacks coach. He worked with quarterbacks and receivers in 2007 and with offensive linemen in 2006, as a lower-level assistant.
The Jets are seeking a replacement for quarterbacks coach Kevin Patullo, who was fired along with four other assistants after the season. Offensive coordinator Chan Gailey also retired. The Jets already have four new position coaches: Kevin Greene (outside linebackers), Robert Nunn (defensive line), Stump Mitchell (running backs), and Dennard Wilson (secondary).
Darryl Slater may be reached at dslater@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DarrylSlater. Find NJ.com Jets on Facebook.
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