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Former New York Jets center Kevin Mawae opening up a hole in the running game during a contest against the Miami Dolphins.
The New York Jets continue to make staff changes.
NFL Insider Aaron Wilson shared on social media that the team is moving on from offensive assistant Walter Kusmirek. Wilson revealed that Kusmirek coached the offensive line for the Shrine Bowl this offseason.
New offensive cooridator Frank Reich is expected to have full control over the coaching staff.
Walter Kusmirek, an offensive assistant for the past two seasons in New York who recently coached offensive line @ShrineBowl, not returning to revamped #Jets staff, per league source, after hiring Frank Reich as offensive coordinator
With Kusmirek out the door, that opens up a spot on the Jets coaching staff.
NFL analyst Will Parkinson responded to this Wilson report with a photo of Pro Football Hall of Famer Kevin Mawae in a Jets uniform with the caption, “Soon.”
Insiders Have Connected the Dots Between a Potential Mawae – Jets Reunion
On February 4, Parkinson listed Mawae as a “name to watch for Frank Reich’s staff with the Jets.”
Some names to watch for Frank Reich’s staff with the Jets
Greg Roman
Parks Frazier
Kevin Patullo
Kevin Mawae
Duce Staley
“If Glenn really wanted to win back some fans, he’d bring former Jets center Kevin Mawae back to Florham Park — Mawae was on Reich’s staff in Indy,” Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic wrote.
After his playing career, Mawae got into coaching in 2016. He started as an assistant offensive line coach for the Chicago Bears. After starting in the NFL, Mawae became an offensive analyst at the college level for Arizona State for three seasons (2018-20).
In 2021, he returned to the NFL as an assistant offensive line coach, this time for the Indianapolis Colts.
JJ Stankevitz of the Colts revealed that Mawae sent a “cold text” to then head coach Frank Reich “about a possible coaching opening.”
Mawae didn’t know Reich before sending that message, only knowing of him as they both played in the NFL.
“Mawae and Reich hit it off after that humble introduction, which led to an interview with general manager Chris Ballard and ultimately a job offer to join the Colts’ coaching staff,” Stankevitz wrote.
The crazy thing is, Mawae didn’t plan on coaching football after his playing days. However, a random conversation with former Jets offensive cooridator Dowell Loggains changed his mind.
“Dowell Loggains — who’s spent a number of years as an NFL offensive coordinator and was a quality control coach with the Titans toward the end of Mawae’s career — pushed him in that direction,” Stankevitz revealed.
Getting Into the Details With Mawae’s Coaching and Playing Journey
The former LSU product entered the league as the No. 36 overall pick in the second round of the 1994 NFL draft.
Aaron Glenn was the No. 12 overall pick in the first round of that same draft.
Glenn and Mawae were teammates on the Jets for four seasons from 1998 through 2001.
Mawae played in the NFL for 16 years. He spent half of his career with the green and white (eight seasons).
Mawae is one of the most decorated offensive linemen in NFL history. He was named a Pro Bowler eight times and received seven All-Pro nominations. In his career, he appeared in 241 games and made 238 starts.
The talented big man was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019.
The Jets had a really encouraging year from their offensive line in 2025. Steve Heiden, the Jets’ O-Line coach, is expected to remain on the staff. However, he could use an understudy, and Mawae has forgotten more football than most will ever know.
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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