Jets hire Cardinals’ Todd Bowles as coach

FILE - In this Nov. 9, 2014 photo, Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles watches his players warm up prior to an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams in Glendale, Ariz. The New York Jets are close to an agreement with Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles to make him their head coach, according to two people with knowledge of the negotiations. Bowles told ESPN in a text that he was taking the job, but the people told The Associated Press that no agreement had been completed as of late Tuesday night, Jan. 13, 2015. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File) FILE - In this Nov. 9, 2014 photo, Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles watches his players warm up prior to an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams in Glendale, Ariz. The New York Jets are close to an agreement with Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles to make him their head coach, according to two people with knowledge of the negotiations. Bowles told ESPN in a text that he was taking the job, but the people told The Associated Press that no agreement had been completed as of late Tuesday night, Jan. 13, 2015. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)

By Associated Press January 14, 2015 4 min read

NEW YORK (AP) – Todd Bowles is coming home and taking over as the New York Jets’ head coach.

The Jets hired the Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Wednesday to replace Rex Ryan, who was fired, along with general manager John Idzik, on Dec. 29 after six seasons.

Bowles, 51, was highly sought after leading Arizona’s aggressive-style defense the last two seasons. This will be his first full-time head coaching job at any level after serving as Miami’s interim coach for the final three games in 2011.

It is a homecoming of sorts for Bowles, who is a native of Elizabeth, New Jersey. He also served as the Jets’ defensive backs coach under then-coach Al Groh during the 2000 season.

Bowles beat out five other candidates, including Seattle defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and former Buffalo coach Doug Marrone, who interviewed with owner Woody Johnson and consultants Charley Casserly and Ron Wolf, both of whom Bowles has ties to.