Although formal announcements haven’t been officially made, Jets Insider.com has learned that the team has lost their wide receivers coach and added a new quarterbacks coach. Also, RB Curtis Martin wins the NFL’s Fed Ex Ground Player Of The Year Award.
Although formal announcements haven’t been officially made, Jets Insider.com has learned that the team has lost their wide receivers coach and added a new quarterbacks coach. Also, RB Curtis Martin wins the NFL’s Fed Ex Ground Player Of The Year Award.
The Jets will announce shortly that Jeremy Bates, who served last season as the Bucs assistant quarterbacks coach has been hired as an assistant to new offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger and will become the Jets new QB’s coach.
Bates’ only NFL experience is on the Bucs’ staff where he’s been for the past 3 seasons. He graduated from Rice University in 1999 after beginning his collegiate playing career as a quarterback at the University of Tennessee in 1995. Bates also played quarterback at Rice and was a second baseman for the baseball squad.
His father, Jim Bates, was defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins and served as interim head coach this past season after Dave Wannstedt resigned. Bates’ brother, James, played linebacker at the University of Florida and helped lead the Gators to the 1996 National Championship. Bates hails from Sevierville, Tennessee.
Bates will take over duties for Paul Hackett who served as both offensive coordinator and QB’s coach. Ironically, after Hackett was fired by the Jets he was hired a week later as Tampa’s new QB’s coach.
Jets’ WR’s coach Jim Hostler has left the team to become QB’s coach for the San Francisco 49ers. Hostler had been on the Jets’ staff for the past 2 years where he served as WR’s coach last year and QB’s coach in 2003. Prior to the Jets he had been on the Saints’ offensive staff.
It was announced yesterday that Jets RB Curtis Martin has won the Fed Ex Ground NFL Player Of The Year Award. Martin, who led the NFL in rushing this season with 1697 yards on 371 carries, edged out New England’s Corey Dillon and Seattle’s Shaun Alexander for the award. Martin is at the Superbowl in Jacksonville this weekend to accept his award. The award was voted on by the fans on NFL.com.
