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A snapshot of the Pittsburgh Steelers sideline with former head coach Mike Tomlin.
The New York Jets continue to raid the staff of former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.
NFL Network’s Omar Ruiz revealed on social media that the Jets are hiring Steelers tight ends coach “Alfredo Roberts for the same position, according to a source with knowledge of the move.”
The #Jets are hiring former Steelers TE’s coach Alfredo Roberts for the same position, according to a source with knowledge of the move.
This is the second former Steelers coach to join the Jets this offseason. The green and white announced on social media that they hired veteran defensive line coach Karl Dunbar.
Dunbar had spent the previous eight seasons in Pittsburgh. Before joining the Steelers, Dunbar had three seasons with the Jets during the Rex Ryan era (2012-14).
The Latest Intel on the Jets New Coach
Roberts, 60, was a player in the NFL before he got into coaching. The former Miami product entered the league as the No. 197 overall pick in the eighth round of the 1988 draft.
Roberts played the tight end position from 1988 through 1993. He spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Dallas Cowboys.
The 6-foot-3, 250-pound tight end appeared in 80 games and made 36 starts. He collected 48 receptions for 450 receiving yards and scored two touchdowns.
Roberts won a pair of National Championships at Miami and won a Super Bowl ring during his time with Dallas.
He has been coaching football since 1999. The first four years of his coaching tenure were spent at the college level.
Over the last 23 years, 22 of those seasons have been spent at the NFL level. The lone exception was a one-off year where he coached tight ends for Carmel High School in Indiana (2016).
Most recently, Roberts had spent the last five years on Tomlin’s staff with the Steelers. However, at the end of the season, he announced his decision to walk away, which put Roberts’ future in Pittsburgh in jeopardy.
Jets Lost a Staff Member This Offseason Which Created the Void
Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic reported in January that Jets tight ends coach Jeff Blasko was “for sure” safe amid all the coaching turnover.
However, something changed.
Blasko decided to jump ship. He joined the Cleveland Browns, filling their vacancy at tight ends coach.
NFL Insider Connor Hughes of SNY revealed on “Jets Final Drive” that a large chunk of the coaching staff was told after the year that they were free to explore other opportunities.
It appears Blasko was one of those coaches who took advantage of that opportunity.
Blasko made his choice prior to the Jets hiring Frank Reich as the offensive coordinator. With all of the turnover on the Jets’ coaching staff, Blasko was looking out for himself, which you can’t blame him for.
If Blasko didn’t take the job that was available in Cleveland, it was possible that Reich could have ditched him for one of his own guys when he was hired.
Something to Watch
ESPN’s Rich Cimini joined me on “Boy Green Daily” and said the Jets’ coaching staff hires are coming together.
He informed me that the Jets “are real close” to hiring a passing game coordinator.
“I think you’re probably going to be intrigued by that addition,” Cimini explained.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini told me that the #Jets ‘are real close’ to hiring a passing game coordinator.
‘I think you’re probably going to be intrigued by that addition.’ 👀
Oh baby! Hey NYJ fans, any guesses on who you think that could be?!
🎥 Boy Green Daily #JetUp
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Paul Esden Jr. covers the New York Jets for Heavy.com. A New York native, he co-hosts a morning show, “The Manchild Show with Boy Green Digital.” Before joining Heavy in 2021, Esden Jr. covered both national and New York sports for FanSided, Elite Sports NY, and The Score 1260. More about Paul Esden Jr.
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