Chan Gailey says he wants to be Jets' offensive coordinator, but is still negotiating a deal with teamChan Gailey says he wants to be the Jets' next offensive coordinator. He thinks it could be "a great fit."The Jets' new head coach, Todd Bowles, wants Gailey to be the team's next offensive coordinator.
But Gailey is not yet the Jets' next offensive coordinator. And without a resolution to current contract negotiations, it will not happen.
Gailey told NJ Advance Media on Monday that contract negotiation is the only hold-up in a deal with the Jets being finalized. He said that he and the Jets have not yet reached an agreement for him to take the job.
"No, we have not," he said.
He emphasized that this isn't due to a lack of desire on his end, or Bowles' end. It is just all about contract details at this point. Gailey declined to specify the sticking points of his negotiations with the Jets.
"That's between me and them," he said. "That doesn't need to be talked about."
Until that is sorted out, Gailey isn't officially locked in with the Jets, even though many observers figured his arrival was essentially assured.
ESPN's Adam Schefter and CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora first reported that the Jets-Gailey arrangement had not yet been finalized.
"We're in negotiations at this point, but we just haven't (finalized anything)," Gailey said Monday. "I really like Todd. I think he's great, from all I know about him. We've never worked together, but from all I know about him. We're just in negotiations, trying to get it worked out. And either we will or we won't, one or the other."
Gailey said that besides the Jets, "two or three" other teams have approached him about their offensive coordinator jobs. He declined to name those teams.
"There's other people that have called me," Gailey said. "Nothing major or serious or whatever term you want to use at this point, concrete. But I have talked with other people."
Gailey is willing to give the Jets and Bowles the first opportunity to hire him, though. And those other organizations know that, Gailey said.
"I told Todd I'd give him, because he's talked to me for quite a while, so I told him I would try to get it done with him first," Gailey said. "I told other people that have called that's what I would do."
Gailey and Bowles have never worked together. Bowles reached out to Gailey at this time last year, when Bowles interviewed for head coaching jobs. That's how their potential head coach-offensive coordinator relationship began.
"Actually, we talked last year when he was interviewing," Gailey said. "He called me again this year, and we visited about it, and it seemed like a good fit. We worked against each other several times."
Gailey, who has been out of coaching since a three-year stint as the Bills' head coach (2010-12), believes he could do well with the Jets, if they end up hiring him.
"Well, I shouldn't take the job if I didn't (think that), right?" he said. "If it gets done, then I certainly think it's a great fit. I think we can go ahead and make a difference."
www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/01/chan_gailey_says_he_wants_to_be_jets_next_offensiv.html