Former Titans GM Jon Robinson rumored, linked to an NFL general manager job

The New York Jets fired General Manager Joe Douglas last month after a 3-8 start to the 2024 season. Douglas was in the final year of his six-year contract with the organization. 

Now, the search to replace him is on. Jets owner Woody Johnson is getting ahead of finding candidates to be his next GM and head coach. Those are both highly consequential decisions for the franchise. 

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Jets are going as far as to look at candidates who are not currently employed in the league. Former Tennessee Titans GM Jon Robinson (2016-2022) is one of the names being linked to the opening. 

Because team's are not able to request interviews with candidates currently employed in the NFL until after the the regular season, it makes sense for Johnson to pursue someone like Robinson right now. But do I realistically expect Robinson to be a contender for the role? Absolutely not.

Robinson did a tremendous job building the Titans. Tennessee's 66-43 record during his seven-year tenure speaks volumes. But any Titans fan could tell you that the organization ran into some big problems because of Robinson's ego and short-sightedness. 

Robinson liked to gamble. He liked to draft guys with red flags in hopes of hitting a home run. He also liked to spend big on veteran players with short-term success in mind. while neglecting the long-term cap constraints it would leave. But when he was presented with a superstar who need to be paid like one and legitimately wanted to be part of the Titans' future (A.J. Brown), Robinson sent him packing to Philadelphia and bet on his ability to replace him with Treylon Burks.

From Isaiah Wilson to Caleb Farley to Treylon Burks, Robinson swung and missed on his final three first round draft choices as GM. The Titans are still feeling the aftershock of those decisions.

Amy Adams Strunk made a clear decision to fire Robinson in the middle of the 2022 season because it became abundantly clear that Tennessee was good, but never going to be great with Robinson calling the shots.

I'd love for Robinson to get another chance in the NFL. If for no other reason, the content would be hilarious. But I can say with confidence that it probably wouldn't end well for Woody Johnson and the New York Jets.