The New York Jets had a tumultuous season in 2012 that resulted in the departure of longtime executive Mike Tannenbaum and possible major changes up and down the roster.
Head coach Rex Ryan is safe in his job for now, while offensive coordinator Tony Sparano is likely on his way out. The organization is currently preparing to start interviews with general managers and in the meantime, Ryan is on vacation in the Bahamas, according to sources who spoke to ESPNNewYork.com on Wednesday.
Ryan and his assistant coaches have the week off, but with his staff in limbo and a new boss on the way, the head coach decided to take some time to reflect on the season and take a break from football.
The news is just another wrinkle in the saga that is the New York Jets. The team and owner Woody Johnson have been lambasted in the media for not holding a press conference or meeting with any reporters following the regular-season. The club did not discuss the firing of Tannenbaum or given any other type of statement besides one on Wednesday that said that Ryan and Johnson would hold "season ending" news conference on Tuesday.
The team is already in violation of the NFL's media policy by waiting so long, but the Jets don't operate the same way other clubs do. The rules state that the coach and a team official must conduct a news conference during the week after the season ends. According to the website, the league will look into the issue.
Johnson has been missing in action for most of the end of the season and he did not attend the regular-season finale in Buffalo. He fired Tannenbaum on Monday and now will be working on general manager interviews, which will start on Friday.
According to ESPNNewYork.com, sources said that Ryan is "anxious" due to the "uncertainty" in the organization. The head coach will not be giving input on the general manager interviews, meaning he could be expendable down the line if the Jets do not turn things around quickly. Ryan and Tannenbaum had a close relationship while being head coach, but now he will be working with someone who he didn't help select.
"Everyone is in limbo," one source said.
Making matters worse for Ryan, the source said that his power over his coaching staff will remain in, limbo until they hire a new general manager. The Associated Press is reporting that no decision has been made about offensive coordinator Tony Sparano, but other sources say that that Ryan and the team would like to bring someone new, including former San Diego Chargers coach Norv Turner, who was just fired last Monday.
The ESPN.com article also said that the Professional Football Writers of America sent in a complaint to the league on Wednesday about the Jets.
"We have been assured the league is looking into it," PFWA president Mark Gaughan of the Buffalo News said. "We'll await word from the NFL."
The Jets went only 6-10 this season and were awful down the stretch, losing three straight games to end the year. Quarterback Mark Sanchez didn't show any growth during his fourth year as the starter and the acquisition of Tim Tebow appeared to be a complete waste.
The team dealt with numerous injuries, including to superstar cornerback Darrelle Revis and wide receiver Santonio Holmes. Sanchez was the biggest disappointment for the team, throwing for just 2,883 yards and 13 touchdowns with 18 interceptions while completing less than 55 percent of his passes.
The season got off to a good start with a 48-28 win against Buffalo, but the team never could play with any consistency and didn't win more than two games in a row all year. The Jets scored only 36 points over the final three games and were ranked 30th in the NFL in passing with 180 yards per game.
The passing defense remained strong even without Revis, but the Jets allowed the 26th most rushing yards per game and had trouble finding a running game themselves. The team still has decisions to make about Sanchez and Tebow and whether either of the two are the future for the organization.
Sanchez's contract extension that the Jets gave him last offseason will make him hard to cut, but a trade is still possible. It is also likely that the Jets will get rid of Tebow, but it's unclear who would be the starter if both of those moves happened. The next draft is weak at quarterback compared to the 2012 class, while the free agents aren't much better.
Either way, the Jets are in limbo right now and Ryan is in the Bahamas, trying to forget about this season.