Taking on the pressure of being the head coach of the New York Jets is not for the faint of heart, and speculation began to run rampant immediately after Robert Saleh was fired just five games into the season. At least one sportsbook is already offering odds on who will be patrolling the Jets' sideline come Week 1 of next season. The list of more than 50 names is topped by none other than Bill Belichick, who guided division rival New England to six Super Bowl titles.
Belichick, 72, reportedly wants to coach next season, and he'll potentially have his pick among several openings that could be created over the next few months. SportsBetting.ag had previously listed Dallas and Jacksonville as the leading candidates to hire Belichick, followed by Philadelphia.
The Jets were tied for the fifth-shortest odds to hire Belichick just two weeks ago, but he is now the +200 favorite to ultimately replace Saleh. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will have a dozen games to build his case to earn the job permanently, but he is not among the favorites by the sportsbook. "He is a tough coach who has the respect of the coaches and the players on this team," owner Woody Johnson said of Ulbrich.
"I believe he along with the coaches on this staff can get the most out of our talented team and attain the goals we established this offseason." The second-shortest odds belong to another experienced head coach with Patriots ties. Former New England linebacker Mike Vrabel parted ways with the Tennessee.