More changes are afoot for the New York Jets. New interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich announced Thursday that offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett would no longer be the team’s game day play caller. Replacing Hackett as play caller will be Todd Downing, the team’s quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator.
Jeff Ulbrich announces that Todd Downing will call the plays moving forward for the Jets’ offense
Ulbrich says Nathaniel Hackett will continue to be a “big part of the success we’re going to have going forward” pic.twitter.com/R5soBKKBoC
— Jets Videos (@snyjets) October 10, 2024
Ulbrich replaced Robert Saleh, who was fired earlier this week. During Thursday’s announcement, Ulbrich said that quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who is close to Hackett after spending years working with him on the Green Bay Packers, understood and supported the decision to promote Downing and demote Hackett.
Hackett’s position on the Jets staff was already tenuous before Saleh was fired. According to CBS Sports, Saleh was seriously considering firing Hackett the day before owner Woody Johnson cut Saleh loose. Saleh reportedly would have replaced Hackett with Downing (which is exactly what Ulbrich did).
Ulbrich said that he will continue to call plays for the defense.
The Jets are 2-3 this season, and have struggled tremendously on offense. Downing will get his first shot as play caller on Monday night when the Jets face the Buffalo Bills at 8:15 p.m. ET.
