Florham Park, NJ (SportsNetwork.com) - The New York Jets have named Mike Maccagnan their new general manager.
Maccagnan spent the past 15 seasons with the Houston Texans, where he rose to the position of director of college scouting for the last three years. He replaces John Idzik, who was fired along with head coach Rex Ryan on Dec. 29.
"We interviewed a number of impressive, qualified candidates, but Mike Maccagnan clearly stood out," said Jets chairman and CEO Woody Johnson on Tuesday. "Mike's attention to detail, strong personnel background and collaborative approach to evaluating players made it clear that he is the right choice to be the next General Manager of the New York Jets. We are proud to welcome Mike to the organization and I am confident that he will help us build a winning team."
The New Jersey native began his football career in the World League, as a scout and then director of player personnel for the London Monarchs in 1990-91.
He then moved back across the Atlantic and wound up with the Ottawa Rough Riders in the CFL as director of scouting and player personnel, before a six-year stint (1994-2000) with the Redskins in their scouting department.
Maccagnan's tenure in Houston began as coordinator of college scouting (2000-10) and he became assistant director of college scouting in 2010-11 before ascending to his former post.
"In my line of work, having the chance to serve as a general manager is what you work towards your entire career," Maccagnan said. "Having a supportive owner who is passionate and committed to delivering a winning team to the fans is one of the keys to building a successful organization. As with all teams, there are some areas we need to address, but we're going to hire the right head coach, evaluate our personnel, and work together to build a football operation to get the New York Jets back on the winning track."
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