Breaking down process for Jets’ GM and head-coaching search

Though the Jets have already started their interviews with general manager and head-coach candidates, the search process will kick into higher gear this week.

Here is a primer on some of the rules and logistics when it comes to the search.

Why have the Jets already interviewed some candidates?

Teams are able to talk to candidates not employed by another team.

That is why the Jets were allowed to speak to Thomas Dimitroff, Jon Robinson, Jim Nagy and Louis Riddick about the GM job, and Mike Vrabel and Ron Rivera about the head-coach opening.

When can they interview everyone else?

For anyone working for a team, the interview process starts this week.

The Jets can put in requests to other teams to interview people who work for them.

Coaches with teams that are in wild-card games must wait until after those games to interview.

Will the Jets hire a GM or coach first?

There has been some apprehension about interviewing coaching candidates without a GM in place, but it still remains likely the Jets will hire a GM first.

The interviews with head-coach candidates employed by teams can only be conducted virtually prior to the conclusion of the divisional round, Jan. 19.

The virtual interviews with candidates whose teams are in the playoffs can only be three hours in length.

That means the head-coach interviews will be “get to know you” sessions for owner Woody Johnson and the other decision-makers with the candidates.

On the other hand, GM interviews can be conducted in person.

That fact creates a timeline in which a GM hire is likely to occur before the team hires a head coach.

The lone exception might be Vrabel, who is not employed by a team and is not under these restrictions. He is also expected to want a say in who the new GM is.

When can in-person interviews happen?

If a coach is not employed by a team, they can interview in-person now.

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That is what happened with Vrabel and Rivera.

Any coach employed by a team can’t do an in-person interview until Jan. 20.

If a coach’s team is in a conference championship game, they cannot do the in-person interview until Jan. 27.

What about the Rooney Rule?

The Jets must interview two people of color and/or women in-person for each position before making a hire.

Virtual interviews don’t count toward the Rooney Rule.

That means the Jets just can’t hire Vrabel on Monday morning if they want to.

The team has already interviewed Rivera for the head-coaching open and Riddick for the GM job, but there must be at least one more candidate interviewed for each job to fill the requirement.