Tom Moore (Jeff Zelevansky)
WHAT DO YOU THINK? Offensive guru Tom Moore (inset) has been brought on as a consultant by the Jets to help QB Mark Sanchez and the offense the rest of the season. (
)
If Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer looks over his shoulder, he’s going to see Tom Moore for the rest of the year.
The 73-year-old offensive consultant has extended his stay through the remainder of the season at head coach Rex Ryan’s request.
The company line is not to read into Moore’s stay as a sign that the Jets are losing confidence in Schottenheimer, but the Jets have the 26th-ranked offense in the league and have struggled for long stretches over the last four games.
“Brian was all for it,” Ryan said. “The perception is completely false if that’s it. I have great confidence in Brian. This is just a thing that helps. You get a guy with this kind of experience, how could it not help your football team? He’s helped me. So, I know he’s helped Schotty, and he’s probably helped [tight ends coach Mike] Devlin and he’s probably helped [wide receivers coach] Henry [Ellard] and a lot of guys. We’re really happy to have him.”
The Jets hired Moore, the longtime offensive coordinator of the Colts, during the offseason after having him visit a few times to work with the offensive coaches. Moore spent training camp with the Jets, then returned to his home in Hilton Head, S.C. From there, he watched game tape and faxed his observations to Jets coaches. He also spoke weekly with Ryan.
Moore returned to New Jersey for the Jets game with the Chargers in October and spent a few days with the coaches during the following bye week.
When he came back last Wednesday, Ryan said he was unsure how long Moore would stay, but then announced yesterday Moore would be here for the rest of the year.
“We’ve wanted him around the whole year all along, but I also recognize that the man is retired and asking him to stay the entire season was not going to be fair to him and his wife,” Ryan said. “He’s here. Everything is OK at home and Tom was like, why not, let’s go for it.”
Moore said he is excited to be “where the action is.”
“I’d retired, but I’m a football junkie. I’m a lifer,” Moore said.
He emphasized several times that his only job is observing. Moore watched Sunday’s game against the Redskins from the coaches’ box with a headset on. He said he simply gave observations to aid Schottenheimer.
“Brian runs the show,” Moore said. “Brian is the coordinator and has done and is doing, in my opinion, a tremendous job.”
Schottenheimer is in his sixth season running the Jets offense. He is extremely unpopular with the fans, who chanted for him to be fired last season. The Jets gave Schottenheimer an extension in the offseason after the Jets’ second straight trip to the AFC title game. His contract runs through 2013.
csprtContainer();
The Jets players seem to love being around Moore, and the Jets are No. 1 in the NFL in red-zone efficiency this year, one of the areas they asked Moore to help them in.
“He’s one of the best offensive minds and football minds I’ve really been around,” quarterback Mark Sanchez said. “He just has a different way of saying things sometimes. He has a way of just keeping you calm. He reminds you of what you can do to get better and he’s just a calm presence that I just think is good for our offense.”
Sanchez said Moore tells stories about his days with Terry Bradshaw and the Steelers and Peyton Manning and the Colts that provides laughter and insight.
Both Ryan and Schottenheimer described Moore as one of the most positive people they have been around.
“I can’t stand negativity,” Moore said. “It drives me crazy. I’ve always been positive. I always will be positive. Something positive always comes out of everything.”
The Jets hope something positive comes from his presence.