Updated

NEW YORK (AP) New York Jets coach Todd Bowles has fired special teams coordinator Bobby April and assistant coaches Steve Hagen and Ron Heller.

The moves were announced Wednesday after Bowles had season-ending meetings with his coaching staff. The Jets missed the playoffs after a 10-6 season, Bowles' first as coach.

In a statement issued by the team, Bowles says he decided ''changes were necessary in these areas.''

The Jets' special teams unit struggled all season under April, who was in his first year with the Jets and 24th in the NFL as a special teams coach.

Hagen and Heller were the lone holdovers from Rex Ryan's staff. Hagen was an assistant special teams coach, while Heller was an assistant offensive line coach.

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