The New York Jets are bringing in The 33rd Team, founded by former general manager Mike Tannenbaum, to help them find their next head coach and GM, per multiple reports.
Tannenbaum served as the Jets’ general manager from 2006-2012 and was the architect of the teams that made two straight AFC Championship Game appearances following the 2009 and 2010 seasons, including the drafting of Hall-of-Fame cornerback Darrelle Revis and franchise legends Nick Mangold and D’Brickashaw Ferguson. He also hired Eric Mangini and Rex Ryan as head coaches.
The Jets have not made the postseason since those two runs to the conference title game.
Following his career with the Jets, Tannenbaum served as the executive vice president of football operations for the Miami Dolphins and now works as an ESPN analyst. He founded The 33rd Team, which describes itself as a “Football Think Tank.”
“The 33rd Team is a consortium of selfless, experienced people that have worked in the NFL, working with young, smart people… who have dreams of their own,” Tanenbaum said. “It’s a combination of those two things where the magic happens every week. We all learn and get better. And hopefully, one day, these younger people will have their own dreams and stories to share.”
Tannenbaum will be joined by former Minnesota Vikings Rick Spielman, who advised the Washington Commanders last year in their search for a new head coach and general manager. Now, with Dan Quinn and Adam Peters at the helm of the franchise, the Commanders are 7-5 this season and in second place in the NFC East after winning just four games last year.
The pair of former general managers will provide the Jets with their best hiring practices and industry analytics for the past five years.
