Florham Park, NJ – The New York Jets have fired offensive coordinator Tony Sparano after just one season.
Jets head coach Rex Ryan, who finally spoke with the media for the first time since the end of the season, said Tuesday that he informed Sparano of the decision late Monday night.
Sparano joined the Jets last January after spending nearly four years as head coach of the Miami Dolphins. He took over for Brian Schottenheimer in hopes of improving a Jets offense that ranked 25th during the 2011 season.
Instead, the Jets took a step backward and ranked 30th, ahead of only San Diego and Arizona. New York was expected to return to a ground and pound mentality and finished 12th in rushing, but quarterback Mark Sanchez had his worst season and the offensive inconsistency played a major factor in the team's 6-10 finish.
Sparano became the Dolphins' head coach before the 2008 season and guided Miami to a stunning turnaround from 1-15 to 11-5 with an AFC East title in his first year. After a pair of 7-9 seasons, the Dolphins were 4-9 when Sparano was fired 13 games into the 2011 campaign.
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