Jets fans won’t have offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to kick around anymore.
The Jets announced last night Schottenheimer informed them he would not return for next season. It seems unlikely he would just walk away from the two years and $3.2 million left on his contract, so it appears the two sides worked out an agreement for him to walk away instead of getting fired.
Former Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano, according to a source, will replace Schottenheimer.
Schottenheimer was the likely fall guy for the Jets’ 8-8 season. Their offense was ranked 25th in the NFL and quarterback Mark Sanchez did not show the progress people expected.
Multiple times, Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum and head coach Rex Ryan said publicly Schottenheimer would be back. They both appear disingenuous now. Surely, they were just trying to protect Schottenheimer’s chances of landing another job.
Schottenheimer, who spent six years with the Jets, interviewed for the head-coaching vacancy in Jacksonville, but that job went to Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey. Shortly after Mularkey’s hiring was reported, the Jets put out their statement.
“After much thought and consideration, I have decided not to return to the New York Jets in 2012,” Schottenheimer said in the statement. “I am very proud of what we have accomplished in the six years I have been here. I am grateful for the relationships that I have with our players and coaches and appreciate the hard work and dedication that went into our success. My family and I would like to thank Rex Ryan and the entire Jets organization and wish them continued success. I look forward to the exciting opportunities that lie ahead.”
Schottenheimer’s father, Marty, is a candidate for the Buccaneers’ head -coaching job, a potential landing spot for Brian.
The 38-year-old Schottenheimer came to the Jets in 2006 with Eric Mangini. He interviewed for the head-coaching job after Mangini was fired in 2008, but the job went to Ryan. Schottenheimer stayed on under Ryan, but it was never clear whether Jets management forced Ryan to keep Schottenheimer.
Two straight trips to the AFC Championship Game kept the heat off him, though. The Jets even gave him a two-year extension after last season.
Things bottomed out this season for Schottenheimer, though. The plan was to have Sanchez throw the ball more with big-ticket receivers Santonio Holmes, Plaxico Burress and Derrick Mason. But after four games, the Jets scrapped that plan.
The offense never found an identity, Sanchez got worse as the season went on and Schottenheimer felt the heat. The last two weeks of the season, things blew up. The Jets called 67 pass plays against the Giants on Christmas Eve, something even Ryan criticized.
Then, in the season finale against the Dolphins, the offense imploded with infighting between Holmes and teammates. Schottenheimer benched Holmes for the final two minutes of the game.
Schottenheimer was not the only member of the Jets’ coaching staff to depart yesterday.
Assistant head coach/offensive line coach Bill Callahan left the Jets to become the offensive line coach with the Cowboys, according to a source. Wide receivers coach Henry Ellard and outside linebackers coach Jeff Weeks were not asked to return in 2012 after their contracts expired.
Jets vice president of college scouting Joey Clinkscales will interview for the Rams’ general-manager job, according to sources.
brian.costello@nypost.com