The Jets have hired Todd Downing as their passing game coordinator, according to a source.
Downing is a veteran coach who has worked with Matthew Stafford, Derek Carr and Ryan Tannehill in his years as an assistant. Downing was most recently the Titans offensive coordinator, a role he served in for the past two seasons before coach Mike Vrabel fired him last month.
Downing was arrested and charged with driving under the influence and speeding in November in Tennessee, just hours after a Thursday night game in Green Bay. The timing indicated that Downing was either drinking on the plane or at the team’s facility before getting into his car.
Under Downing, the Titans offense fell to 30th in yards per game last season (296.8 yards per game) and 28th in scoring average (17.5 points per game). Downing worked with new Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett in 2014 with the Bills when he was the team’s quarterbacks coach and Hackett was the offensive coordinator. Downing is the second Titans coaching castoff Robert Saleh has added to his staff this offseason. Keith Carter, who was fired along with Downing in Tennessee, is the Jets’ new offensive line coach and running game coordinator.
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The Jets liked Downing’s history with young quarterbacks. He was with the Lions early in Stafford’s career, serving as assistant quarterbacks coach in 2010 and ‘11 and then quarterbacks coach in 2012 and ‘13. He was Carr’s quarterbacks coach with the Raiders in 2015-16 and was the offensive coordinator in 2017. Carr could be an option for the Jets this season as they search for a veteran quarterback. Carr is expected to be released by the Raiders this week and he will immediately become a free agent. The Jets are in the market for a veteran quarterback and Carr is considered a potential target.
Downing was the tight ends coach in Tennessee in 2019-20 before replacing Arthur Smith as offensive coordinator in 2021. In his first season as offensive coordinator, the Titans scoring offense dropped from fourth to 15th. Tennessee did finish fifth in rushing despite losing star running back Derrick Henry for nine games with a foot injury. The Titans were the No. 1 seed in the AFC that season. He spent 2018 as the Vikings tight ends coach before going to Tennessee.
Saleh was focused on filling this role this offseason after not having anyone in it last year. When Saleh was hired by the Jets in 2021, he had Greg Knapp as his passing game coordinator and he was supposed to provide a veteran voice on a young offensive coaching staff. But Knapp died two months before the season after being hit by an automobile while riding his bike near his California home.
