Report: New York Jets to interview Packers VP of Player Personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan

The New York Jets, looking to fill their general manager vacancy, are expected to interview Green Bay Packers vice president of personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Sullivan, the son of former NFL coach Jerry Sullivan, first joined the Packers in 2004 as the team’s national football scouting representative. Sullivan rose through the ranks in Green Bay’s front office, taking over as director of scouting in 2016. He spent four seasons as co-director of player personnel (2018-21) before the Packers promoted him to his current role in 2022.

Jets general manager candidates

The Jets, who fired Joe Douglas in November, have conducted interviews with four candidates thus far: Former Atlanta Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff, former Tennessee Titans general manager Jon Robinson, ESPN analyst Louis Riddick, and Senior Bowl executive Jim Nagy. New York has also requested an interview with Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant general manager Mike Greenberg, Kansas City Chiefs assistant general manager Mike Borgonzi, Los Angeles Rams senior personnel executive Ray Farmer, Minnesota Vikings vice president of player personnel Ryan Grigson and Cincinnati Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown.

“In terms of a timeline, the Jets can interview any unemployed candidates in-person immediately,” Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic wrote Tuesday. “Any candidates employed by teams not in the playoffs can be interviewed virtually starting Wednesday and until Jan. 19, then in-person interviews can commence. For teams in the postseason, the Jets can interview candidates from teams with first-round byes [Chiefs and Detroit Lions] through Jan. 19.

“For other teams in the playoffs, those candidates can be interviewed three days after their Wild Card game until Jan. 19 — and no playoff teams coaches can be interviewed until after they are eliminated, and after Jan. 19.”

Jets conducting lengthy search for general manager, head coach openings

In addition to looking for a new general manager, the Jets are also in the market for a head coach. New York has requested to interview a plethora of candidates, including Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores among others. The Jets have already completed interviews with former Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera and former Titans head coach Mike Vrabel.

Rex Ryan, the last head coach to lead the Jets to the playoffs (2010), is interviewing for the job Tuesday. The ESPN analyst is confident he’ll return to the sideline in New York.

“100%, absolutely I do,” Ryan said on ESPN New York. “And the reason I think I’m going to get it is because I’m the best guy, and it ain’t close. The thing that you have to do, you have to connect with a football team. You have to connect with your fan base and the way they play. That’s the most important thing, not just the x’s and o’s and all that. Look, this Ben Johnson, I love him. I absolutely love him, but I’m a better candidate for this job than he would be.”