The New York Jets hired Philadelphia Eagles vice president of player personnel Joe Douglas as their new general manager on Friday evening.
ESPN reports Douglas was given a six-year contract, and that he tried to turn down the job multiple times before agreeing to the lengthy deal.
Douglas was widely reported as the favorite for the job, and some reports noted his name surfaced as a potential candidate even before the firing of previous GM Mike Maccagnan last month. The New York Daily News reported earlier this week the Jets were “not thrilled with the perception” that the job was Douglas’ to lose.
Douglas previously worked with Jets head coach Adam Gase — who has been serving as interim GM — in Chicago during the 2015 season, when Gase was the Bears’ offensive coordinator and Douglas was the director of college scouting.
He left the Bears to join the Eagles in May of 2016 and helped construct the team that won Philadelphia’s first Super Bowl. Before arriving in Chicago, Douglas spent 16 years in the Baltimore Ravens’ personnel department from 2000-15.
Other candidates interviewed last week were Seattle Seahawks co-director of player personnel Scott Fitterer, Chicago Bears assistant director of player personnel Champ Kelly and New Orleans Saints director of pro scouting Terry Fontenot.
The Jets held a second round of interviews with candidates on Wednesday before Friday’s announcement.
