Former Jets GM Joe Douglas returns to Philadelphia Eagles
Jets GM Joe Douglas at a pre-draft news conference in 2024. Credit: Jeff Bachner
Former Jets general manager Joe Douglas is returning to his roots in more ways than one.
Douglas is joining the Philadelphia Eagles front office in a senior scouting role, according to multiple reports. Douglas began his NFL career as a scout with the Ravens in 2000. He also spent four years with the Eagles as director of player personnel before the Jets hired him in 2019 to be their general manager.
Owner Woody Johnson fired Douglas during the Jets bye week in November. They were 3-8 at the time. Johnson said at the time that he did that to begin the process of finding a new general manager and coach.
Robert Saleh was fired six weeks earlier. He returned to San Francisco to be the 49ers defensive coordinator - the position he held before becoming Jets head coach in 2021.
The Jets hired Darren Mougey as general manager and Aaron Glenn as head coach.
Douglas joined the Jets in June of 2019. They went 30-64 under his tenure with no playoff berths. Douglas had many hits and misses in the draft and free agency.
His biggest miss was drafting quarterback Zach Wilson with the No. 2 pick in 2021. The Jets traded Wilson to Denver last year. He didn’t play a snap for the Broncos and signed with the Dolphins earlier this spring.
The best draft of Douglas’ tenure was the following year when the Jets selected cornerback Sauce Gardner, receiver Garrett Wilson, edge rusher Jermaine Johnson and running back Breece Hall.
Douglas also drafted current Jets starters: right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, linebacker Jamien Sherwood, nickelback Michael Carter II, edge rusher Will McDonald, center Joe Tippmann and left tackle Olu Fashanu.
Douglas also was a big believer that Aaron Rodgers would turn around the franchise and make the Jets Super Bowl contenders. Douglas wasn’t the only one. He spent the prior two seasons building around Rodgers.
Rodgers tore his Achilles tendon in Week 1 in 2023. He played all 17 games last season, but the Jets went 5-12. Rodgers was released in March.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
