The Jets’ front office makeover continues.
The team has hired one of the people responsible for helping hire Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey.
During his CBS Sports podcast, released Thursday morning, Rick Spielman announced that he would join the Jets as a senior football advisor.
“I will be helping in any way that I can with Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey,” Spielman said on the With the First Pick podcast. “My biggest project is trying to rebuild the football operations side of things. So there’s a lot of changes going on there. I feel honored and privileged that they called me and asked me to be part of it going forward.”
Spielman, 62, will work remotely and commute from Florham Park. He will replace Phil Savage, who will continue to work in the organization as a consultant. Savage became the Jets’ interim general manager after Joe Douglas was fired in November.
This is the latest change in the Jets front office this offseason. They recently fired co-director of player personnel Greg Nejmeh and senior director of football administration David Socie.
In addition to Glenn and Mougey, Rob Paton, who has worked with Mougey since 2017, will become the Jets’ co-director of player personnel. His uncle is current Broncos general manager George Paton.
Spielman, Glenn, and Mougey will look to turn around a Jets franchise that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2010, the longest drought in North American sports.
Having Spielman in the building is an excellent move for the Jets. Although he won’t be the decision-maker, his experience is invaluable. Both Glenn and Mougey can bounce ideas and strategies off Spielman, who has worked in four different organizations in various roles.
“I am just a sounding board as I observe and see things and share a lot of my experiences,” Spelman said. “Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey are the final decision makers. I am just their sounding board and help them in support in any way.”
After firing both head coach Robert Saleh and Douglas, Jets owner Woody Johnson hired The 33rd Team, founded by former Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum, to conduct the hiring process. Spielman, who advised the Commanders’ general manager and coaching searches last year, led the hiring searches.
This will be Spielman’s first job in the NFL since he was fired as Vikings general manager following the 2021 season. Since then, Spielman has worked in the media with The 33rd Team, SiriusXM NFL Radio and CBS Sports.
Spielman began his front-office career in 1990 after two seasons in the NFL as a linebacker for the Chargers and Lions. He was Detroit’s college scout from 1990-94.
In 1997, Spielman became the Bears director of pro personnel from 1997-99 before joining the Dolphins in 2000 as vice president of player personnel. He was promoted in 2002 to Miami’s senior vice president of operations and player personnel and eventually became the team’s general manager in 2004 for just one season.
Spielman resigned in 2005 after his power was stripped with the Dolphins after Nick Saban was hired as coach and given complete control of football operations.
After a season away working in the media, Spielman joined the Vikings organization in 2006 as their vice president of player personnel. During that time, Spielman directed scouting, free agency, and draft preparations for the club. In 2012, Spielman became the Vikings general manager, a role he would have for 10 seasons.
As general manager, Spielman selected key players such as Adrian Peterson, Justin Jefferson, Dalvin Cook, Stefon Diggs, Harrison Smith, and Eric Kendricks. He also signed Kirk Cousins in 2018, a season after Case Keenum helped Minnesota to the NFC Championship.