FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- The New York Jets did their homework. Before embarking on their head-coaching search, they studied the history of second-chance coaches. It made sense, considering two candidates -- Adam Gase and Mike McCarthy -- had just been fired from their first jobs.
This is what they discovered: Eight coaches have won a Super Bowl in their second job after failing to win a championship in their first gig, a list that includes a New York coaching icon (Tom Coughlin) and a football savant who almost became the head coach of the Jets (Bill Belichick).