Mougey leaves Broncos, joins new coach Aaron Glenn, Jets as GM

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Completing their leadership overhaul, the New York Jets hired Darren Mougey as their general manager Saturday.

Mougey, a longtime Denver Broncos scout and executive who became their assistant GM in 2022, will team with newly hired coach Aaron Glenn — a brain trust with no previous experience in their new positions. It’s a bold pairing by the Jets, who are trying to reboot after a turmoil filled season and a 14-year playoff drought.

At 39, Mougey is the third-youngest GM in the NFL and two years younger than quarterback Aaron Rodgers, whose future with the Jets will be determined in the coming weeks. Mougey is expected to have a traditional GM role, meaning he has final say on personnel decisions and control of the 53-man roster. Glenn, who was involved in the hiring, will have significant input.

“Darren is a trusted NFL executive who has experience working with an impressive collection of football leaders,” Jets chairman Woody Johnson said in a news release. “He is a proven talent evaluator who impressed us with his vision for this team. His partnership with Coach Glenn will revitalize this organization. I am proud of the thorough search we undertook and that it led us to the two best individuals to lead our football team going forward.”

Mougey replaces Joe Douglas, who was fired Nov. 19 after five-plus seasons on the job. Under Douglas’ stewardship, the Jets were 30-64. Phil Savage served as the interim GM.

Mougey called his new job “one of the great honors and privileges of my life.”

“I could not be more excited to work alongside Coach Glenn to build a championship team that will make Jets fans proud,” he said in the release.

The Jets took an unconventional route by hiring their coach before the GM. A dual announcement was expected Wednesday, when Glenn’s deal was finalized, but things changed.

Washington Commanders assistant GM Lance Newmark appeared to be the front-runner because he was the first candidate to receive a second interview. He and Glenn seemed to be a natural fit, considering they worked with the Detroit Lions from 2021 to 2023. Both interviewed Tuesday at the team facility, but the Jets met again with Mougey and Cincinnati Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown.

Mougey and Glenn, 52, have no previous working relationship, only an indirect connection — Broncos coach Sean Payton. Glenn was on Payton’s New Orleans Saints coaching staff, and they have remained close. Glenn participated in in-person interviews with Mougey and Brown on Thursday at the Jets’ facility.

The Jets interviewed 15 candidates, including five with previous GM experience.

Ironically, one of their former GMs — Mike Tannenbaum — was involved in the search. Tannenbaum founded The 33rd Team, a media and technology company that was retained by the Jets to compile and vet candidates. Former Minnesota Vikings GM Rick Spielman also assisted. Spielman received a positive report about Mougey from his former assistant GM in Minnesota, George Paton, the Broncos’ current GM.

Tannenbaum, now an ESPN analyst, was 36 when the Jets hired him in 2006. Mougey is their youngest GM since. The only current GMs younger than Mougey are the Cleveland Browns‘ Andrew Berry (37) and the Chicago Bears‘ Ryan Poles (39), according to ESPN Research.

Mougey played college football at San Diego State. He began as a quarterback, playing behind current Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell, but was switched to wide receiver. He had brief stops with the Atlanta Falcons and Arizona Cardinals, but he never made a regular-season roster.

Mougey got into scouting with the Broncos, working his way up from a scouting intern (2012). He was hired by Broncos legend John Elway and went from area scout (2015 to 2019) to assistant director of college scouting (2020) to director of player personnel (2021) to his most recent role as the assistant GM.

Mougey worked for three ownership groups and two general managers, experiencing the high of a Super Bowl championship after the 2015 season and the low of an eight-year playoff drought that ended this season under the Payton rebuild.

Mougey worked alongside Paton, who in 2022 made the ill-fated Russell Wilson trade — regarded as one of the worst in recent NFL history. The Broncos surrendered a huge package of draft picks, including two first-rounders, for the fading star, who lasted only two seasons in Denver and left a massive cap hit.

On the positive side, Mougey was part of a front office that has drafted well in recent years. From 2021 to 2023, it selected four players on the current All-Pro team — cornerback Pat Surtain II, guard Quinn Meinerz, kick returner Marvin Mims Jr. and edge rusher Nik Bonitto (second team). Quarterback Bo Nix, Denver’s 2024 first-round pick, enjoyed a promising rookie year.

Mougey walks into a massive job, one that will require a culture overhaul. The Jets haven’t produced a winning season since 2015, and their playoff slump is the longest in North American sports. Since 2015, they’ve gone through four coaches — Todd Bowles, Adam Gase, Robert Saleh and interim Jeff Ulbrich, who replaced the fired Saleh on Oct. 8.

There are some building blocks on the roster, but Mougey must decide on Rodgers and formulate a long-term plan at quarterback. Another pressing issue is the future of wide receiver Garrett Wilson, who is eligible for a contract extension and could request a trade.

The Jets own the No. 7 pick in the draft and have eight total picks, but they have only $25 million in cap room, according to Roster Management System. They have 23 unrestricted free agents, including six starters. It will take some creative cap management to improve the roster under these restrictions.