USAT: Jets Wire audio clip

USAT: Jets Wire

Jan 29, 2022

Ron Middleton will be a head coach once again. - The Jets’ tight ends coach will assume that title at the Senior Bowl, where he will lead the National Team. Middleton’s ascension up the coaching depth chart coincides with a change to the Senior Bowl: for the first time, actual head coaches, a.k.a. Robert Saleh, will work as advisors while promoting assistants like Middleton. - - The Jets also made linebackers coach Mike Rutenberg the National Team’s defensive coordinator, while quarterbacks coach Rob Calabrese will be the offensive coordinator. Dan Campbell and the Lions, the other staff coaching the Senior Bowl, named assistant head coach/running backs coach Duce Staley the head coach of the American Team. Defensive backs coach/passing game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant will serve as defensive coordinator, while tight ends coach Ben Johnson will be the offensive coordinator. - - - “I want to start by thanking Jim Nagy and the Senior Bowl for the change this year allowing an assistant to work as the head coach down in Mobile,” Middleton said in a statement. “I also can’t say enough about Robert Saleh for the opportunity to serve as an acting head coach during the season and certainly for this chance now. Our staff is full of deserving candidates, and I am proud to experience this week alongside them. Working with this group of extremely talented young men as they begin their professional careers is something we are all grateful to be a part of and our staff is excited to work with them for the week.” - As Middleton alluded to, he took over as the Jets’ interim head coach after Saleh tested positive for COVID-19 during the season. Middleton oversaw New York’s Week 16 win over Jacksonville. - In addition to staff elevations, Senior Bowl Minority Fellowship coaches Tyrone Wheatley (Morgan State head coach) and Jonathan Saxon (South Carolina State linebackers coach/defensive coordinator) will assist Gang Green at the Senior Bowl. Reggie Barlow (Virginia State head coach) and T.C. Taylor (Jackson State offensive coordinator) will help the Lions. Another Senior Bowl first, the objective of the fellowship is to connect HBCU coaches with NFL personnel and opportunities. - The Senior Bowl will be played on Feb. 5 at the University of South Alabama’s Hancock Whitney Stadium. - - List - - 6 things to know about Jets interim head coach Ron Middleton - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Email - - - - - Sign up - - - - - - - - Like this article? - Sign up for the Jets Wire email newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning - - - - An error has occured - - - Please re-enter your email address. - - - - - - Thanks for signing up! - - - You'll now receive the top Jets Wire stories each day directly in your inbox.

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