The New York Jets announced the hiring of Wide Receivers Coach Henry Ellard, Running Backs Coach Anthony Lynn, Assistant Secondary Coach Doug Plank and Secondary Coach Dennis Thurman. The team also announced that Bob Sutton will return as senior defensive assistant/linebackers. The announcements were made by Head Coach Rex Ryan.

Ellard (Fresno State/Fresno, CA) joins the Jets after eight seasons as the wide receivers coach with the St. Louis Rams (2001-08). Under Ellard’s tutelage, the Rams’ Torry Holt posted seven consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons and reached 11,000 career yards in 131 games, faster than any player in NFL history. He also coached at his alma mater, Fresno State, in 2000. Ellard, a second-round draft choice of the Los Angeles Rams in 1983, finished his 16-season NFL career with 814 receptions for 13,777 yards and 65 touchdowns for the Rams, Redskins and Patriots. Ellard is currently tied for 19th in NFL history in receptions (Keyshawn Johnson), and eighth all-time in receiving yards.

Lynn (Texas Tech/McKinney, TX) spent the last six years as a running backs coach in the NFL, earning two-year stints with the Browns (2007-08), the Cowboys (2005-06) and the Jaguars (2003-04). In his first season at Cleveland, Lynn worked with Jamal Lewis, who finished fifth in the NFL with 1,304 yards rushing despite missing two games. At Dallas, Lynn oversaw the emergence of the effective duo of Julius Jones and Marion Barber III. At Jacksonville, Fred Taylor recorded two of the top four single-season rushing performances in Jaguars history under Lynn. He began his coaching career with the Broncos as an offensive assistant and assistant special teams coach (2000-02). As a player, Lynn earned two Super Bowl rings as a running back with the Broncos in 1997 and 1998 during his seven-year NFL career.

Plank (Ohio State/Greensburg, PA) joins the Jets after working as a coaching assistant with the Atlanta Falcons. Plank was the head coach of the AFL’s Georgia Force (2005-08), compiling a 47-25 record while guiding the team to an ArenaBowl appearance in 2005. In 2008, the Force won their third Southern Division Championship under Plank while earning a playoff berth for the fourth consecutive year. He was named the AFL Coach of the Year on two occasions (2005 and 2007) and led the team to a franchise-best 14-2 record in 2007. Plank spent three seasons as the defensive coordinator of the AFL Arizona Rattlers after serving as the team’s radio and television analyst. Plank played in three Rose Bowls for Woody Hayes, was a 12th round pick in 1975 and started eight seasons for the Chicago Bears, where he was the first Bears rookie to ever lead the team in tackles. The 1980s Bears “46 Defense,” developed by Buddy Ryan, father of Rex Ryan, was named after Plank’s No. 46 jersey.

Thurman (USC/Los Angeles, CA) coached the Ravens secondary from 2002-07 alongside Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan. During his Ravens tenure, the team led the NFL with 126 interceptions and 18 interception returns for touchdowns while he was coaching Ed Reed (34 INT, 2002-07), Chris McAlister, Samari Rolle and Deion Sanders, among others. Before coming back to the NFL, he coached the defensive backs at his alma mater, USC, for eight years (1993-2000). He made his NFL coaching debut for the Phoenix Cardinals, coaching defensive backs for two seasons (1988-89). Thurman, who had 36 career interceptions and played in Super Bowl XIII in 1979 during his nine seasons as a cornerback and safety in the NFL for the Cowboys and Cardinals, was a two-time All-American safety at USC, where he was part of teams that won four bowl games and the 1974 National Championship.

Sutton (Eastern Michigan/Ypsilanti, MI) is entering his 10th season with the Jets. A former head coach (1991-99) and assistant coach (1983-91) at Army, he originally joined the Jets in 2000 as linebackers coach before being named the team’s defensive coordinator in 2006.

The New York Jets announced the hiring of Defensive Quality Control Coach Jim O’Neil and Defensive Assistant Jeff Weeks. The announcements were made by Head Coach Rex Ryan.

O’Neil (Towson University, 2001) spent the last three seasons serving as recruiting coordinator and safeties coach at Eastern Michigan University. In 2005, he was the defensive coordinator, defensive backs coach and punt return coach at his alma mater, Towson University. From 2003-05, he was a graduate assistant at Northwestern. In 2002, he was an assistant offensive line coach at Penn, which won the Ivy League title. Prior to his time with the Quakers, he was an assistant offensive line/tight ends coach at Albany. A native of Philadelphia, he played at Central Bucks West High School where Jets defensive coordinator Mike Pettine was an assistant coach and was later a three-year starter as a defensive end at Towson.

Weeks (Northwest Oklahoma State, 1986) was a defensive assistant for the Raiders in 2008. A 22-year coaching veteran, Weeks coached with Rex Ryan at Morehead State (1990-91) and at Oklahoma (1998). Weeks has also coached collegiately at Texas A&M-Kingsville (2005-06), Southeastern Oklahoma State (2004), Trinity Valley (Texas) CC (2000-03), where he coached Jets defensive back Drew Coleman, Fort Scott (Kansas) CC (1999), Glendale (Arizona) CC (1997) and Phoenix (Arizona) CC (1996). A wide receiver, he was a college roommate and teammate of Rex and Rob Ryan at Southwest Oklahoma State before transferring and graduating from Northwest Oklahoma State. Weeks was an all-state football player at College High School in Bartlesville, OK.

The New York Jets have signed the following players to reserve/future contracts: DL Kareem Brown, RB Jehuu Caulcrick, DE Kenwin Cummings, OL Stanley Daniels, WR Marcus Henry, RB Noah Herron, RB Marcus Mason, DE Ropati Pitoitua, WR Paul Raymond, LB Brandon Renkart, DT Brian Schafering and WR Huey Whittaker. The announcement was made by Jets General Manager Mike Tannenbaum.

Brown, Caulcrick, Cummings, Daniels, Henry, Renkart and Schafering were on the Jets practice squad at the conclusion of the regular season. Pitoitua finished the season on the Jets Injured Reserve/Practice Squad list.

Herron (RB, 5-11, 225, Northwestern) was selected by the Steelers in the seventh round (244th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft. He appeared in two games for the Steelers before being released and signed to Pittsburgh’s practice squad. He was then signed to Green Bay’s active roster off of the Steelers’ practice squad on Nov. 30, 2005. He appeared in 21 games for the Packers and rushed for 271 yards on 82 attempts (3.3 avg.) and three touchdowns.

Mason (RB, 5-9, 215, Youngstown State) was originally signed by the Redskins as an undrafted rookie free agent on May 2, 2007 and waived Aug. 31, 2008. He signed to Baltimore’s practice squad on September 3, 2008 before the Jets signed him to their active roster on Oct. 29, 2008. Mason led the NFL in rushing during the 2008 preseason (317). He was inactive for seven games this season before being released by the Jets and signed to their practice squad.

Raymond (WR, 5-10, 185, Brown University) originally signed with the Jets as an undrafted free agent on May 2, 2008, was waived on August 30 and then signed to the practice squad on Sept. 1 before being released again on Sept. 16, signed Sept. 24 and released Sept. 29. He also spent time this season on the practice squads of the Detroit Lions and New York Giants.

Whittaker (WR, 6-2, 220, South Florida) originally signed with the Steelers in 2004 as an undrafted free agent. He spent the 2004 season on Tampa Bay’s practice squad after being released from the Steelers. He went to training camp with Jaguars in 2005 before spending the summer with the Berlin Thunder of NFL Europe. He has spent parts of the last three seasons for Tampa and Utah in the Arena Football League, logging 126 receptions for 1,541 yards and 32 touchdowns for Utah in 2008.

New York Jets announced that Mike Pettine (pronounced PET-tin) has been hired as his defensive coordinator. The announcement was made by Head Coach Rex Ryan.

“Mike Pettine is a rising star in this league,” said Ryan. “He played a key role for us in Baltimore and we’re fortunate that he’s able to join us with the Jets.”

Pettine spent the past four seasons coaching the outside linebackers for the Baltimore Ravens and has been with the Ravens organization since 2002.

In the past four seasons, the Ravens defense finished fifth (2005), first (2006), sixth (2007) and second (2008) in the NFL. In 2006, the defense allowed only 201 points and 264 yards per game. The Ravens 2008 defense allowed 261.1 yards per game, finishing second overall in the NFL. The 2008 Ravens allowed 244 points, third-fewest in the NFL, and led the NFL with 34 takeaways, 26 interceptions and a league-low 60.6 opponents’ passer rating. Baltimore also yielded a league-low four rushing touchdowns.

Pettine coached high school football in Pennsylvania at North Penn and William Tennent high schools after working as a graduate assistant for Johnny Majors at the University of Pittsburgh (1993-94). He also spent four years as an assistant coach for his father, Mike Pettine, Sr. at Central Bucks West High School. Pettine Sr. recently retired as the winningest high school coach in Pennsylvania, posting a record of 326-42-4 in 33 seasons.

Pettine played free safety at the University of Virginia, graduating in 1987, after earning all-state honors as a quarterback and defensive back for his dad at Central Bucks West.

The New York Jets announced that Rex Ryan has been hired as the Jets head coach. The announcement was made by Chairman and CEO Woody Johnson and Executive Vice President/General Manager Mike Tannenbaum. Ryan will be introduced during a 10 a.m. press conference on Wednesday, Jan. 21, at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center in Florham Park, NJ.

“Rex is revered by his players and respected by his peers around the NFL for his innovative schemes,” Johnson said. “There is no doubt in my mind that Rex has the expertise and instincts to build on the foundation that we have in place and take this franchise to the ranks of the NFL’s elite. He will bring an aggressive, physical brand of football that will captivate our fans and ignite their passion. I appreciate Mike Tannenbaum and all those involved for the time and energy they invested during this search. Thanks to their efforts, we got the right man for the job.” (more…)

 Super Bowl XLIII brings much more than football to Tampa Bay. Throughout the week preceding the game, more than 50 charitable activities and community outreach programs will enliven and enrich the community and provide lasting legacies.

The week’s activities will also include the announcement of the annual Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award and a celebration of the positive impact of the NFL Youth Education Town initiative.

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