The Jets fired general manager Mike Maccagnan on Wednesday morning, the team announced.
Head coach Adam Gase appears to be the beneficiary for now as he has been given the interim GM title, while the Jets look for a full-time replacement.
“Mike helped to execute the strategic vision of the organization during the last four seasons and especially the past few months,” chairman and CEO Christopher Johnson said in a statement. “However, I came to the decision to make a change after much thought and a careful assessment of what would be in the best long-term interests of the New York Jets.
“I will start a search for our new General Manager immediately. In the interim, Coach Gase will be the acting General Manager. I would like to thank Mike for his time and efforts during his tenure, and I wish only the best for him and his wife Betty.”
Johnson’s search could lead him to the Eagles’ vice president of player personnel, Joe Douglas. ESPN.com reported that Douglas is the early favorite for the position and is close with Gase.
There were rumors of a spat between him and Gase that centered around the draft. The Post’s Brian Costello reported the two disagreed on how much they should offer free-agent running back Le’Veon Bell.
“I don’t know who decides to put that stuff out there,” Gase said last week of the rumors. “It kind of pisses me off a little bit. We have discussion on everything. That’s our job. We have to work through so much stuff. That’s what we have to do. That’s all we’ve done since we’ve been here.
“Since we started, we’ve been in constant communication whether he’s coming down to my office or I’m going to his office, that’s all we’re trying to do is make sure we’re on the same page all the time. We’re trying to put this thing together as well as we can in a short period of time.”
Maccagnan, who had two years left on his contract, was able to draft the Jets franchise quarterback in Sam Darnold a year ago, but has a slew of other draft busts on his resume. Still, Maccagnan survived the firing of head coach Todd Bowles that came right after the season and was a part of the group that chose Gase as the replacement.
Maccagnan and Bowles started together with the Jets before the 2015 season.
The Jets also fired VP of Player Personnel Brian Heimerdinger.