Todd Bowles didn't even make it to Black Monday.
It was actually his preference, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini, who reported that Bowles asked for a quick resolution to his status as Jets head coach.
Why delay the inevitable?
He was fired Sunday night following a flaming pile of dung of a performance befitting of a leader who lost 35 of his last 49 games. The Jets were crushed in New England, 38-3, in a 2018 season finale marred by the benchings of $72.5 million cornerback Trumaine Johnson for skipping a practice and meetings and starting safety Darryl Roberts for a similar offense, per reports.
LISTEN: 'Boomer & Gio': What's Next For Jets After Bowles Firing?
So much for how well-respected Bowles was in the locker room.
What's important now is for the Jets to move forward, and it starts with a reorganization at the top of the chart.
Bowles and general manager Mike Maccagnan were considered equals, both reporting to ownership in a somewhat unique structure within NFL franchises.
Maccagnan, who, like Bowles, has a contract that runs through the 2020 season, "will work closely with Jets Chairman and CEO Christopher Johnson on the search for a new head coach," according to the Jets' press release.
MORE: 7 Possible Candidates To Replace Todd Bowles As Jets Coach
For some, that doesn't sit well, since it makes Bowles take the full hit for going 4-12 with a team almost entirely comprised of players selected by Maccagnan. If Maccagnan has Johnson's ear on selecting Bowles' successor, it makes it seem like he got promoted in terms of responsibility and power.
It's possible that Johnson didn't want to start from scratch, a situation this family (brother Woody ran the team before he was sent off to become U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom) has shown no inkling it knows how to handle. Previous searches were outsourced to consultants, which was also how we got stuck with the incompetent John Idzik as general manager before the current regime took over in 2015.
Of course, having a GM on such thin ice is not conducive when you're recruiting a coach. Who wants to work with/for someone with that much uncertainty over his head? Thinking ahead, a coaching candidate could research how Rex Ryan was allowed to overstay his welcome under Idzik. Maybe the Jets learned something and would give a subsequent GM the power to install his preferred guy on the sideline as a condition of his own employment. The Jets don't need that kind of Catch-22 thinking interfering with this crucial process.
The solution to this conundrum would be for the Jets to go big. They should hire a coach who they can also grant the power to "buy the groceries," as the legendary Bill Parcells once famously said.
Such a perk might actually give them an edge in wooing the coach they should consider as their top target -- Jim Harbaugh.
In his column on this site last week, my colleague Jason Keidel noted the many reasons why Harbaugh, the head coach at the University of Michigan, checks all the boxes. A coach with an offensive background should be the Jets' focus in their search, and Harbaugh, who was an NFL quarterback for 14 seasons, has a solid record developing young signal-callers.
Despite the doom and gloom that these and other pages pile on this woebegone franchise, this Jets' job has as much potential for success as any NFL opening. The Jets will select third overall in the upcoming draft and will have a little under $100 million in salary cap space to entice free agents.
Most important, they finally have their quarterback. Sam Darnold is firmly in place after finishing up his rookie season in a promising manner, the meager stats (16-of-28, 167 yards and a strip-sack fumble returned for a touchdown) in the loss to the Patriots notwithstanding.
What the Jets need is a leader who can identify the right players with whom to surround Darnold and an ability to hire and work with a respected staff to develop a winning roster.
I'm sure several owners would break open their wallets if they knew Harbaugh was available -- he would definitely command more than the $10 million Oakland is paying Jon Gruden (Harbaugh's compensation at Michigan is approximately $7.5 million) -- but how many teams would be willing to give Harbaugh that large a say in personnel decisions?
The Jets would face several hurdles. They would need Maccagnan to accept his lesser role to maintain administrative order over the personnel and scouting departments. Even though the demotion would be deserved considering Maccagnan's four-year record with free agents (see Exhibit 1: Johnson, Trumaine) and in drafts (see Exhibit 2: A much lengthier list), it would be a hard pill to swallow.
Another possible roadblock is that Harbaugh is reportedly True-Blue Michigan. He has not accomplished what he set out to do at his alma mater after his separation from the 49ers in 2015. He has yet to earn a berth in the College Football Playoffs or even beat bitter rival Ohio State once in four attempts.
And finally, do I trust that the Jets will go about this the right way? Of course not.
Their interest in Harbaugh was already leaked earlier this month, forcing Johnson to issue a statement that "Todd Bowles is our Head Coach. There is no truth to the report of our interest in Jim Harbaugh."
Some have interpreted that statement as a dodge to avoid what is considered the "bad form" of an organization looking for a replacement while Bowles was still on the job.
Well, Bowles is gone now. Go get Harbaugh -- and give him whatever it takes.
For a FAN's perspective of the Nets, Devils and Jets, follow Steve on Twitter @SteveLichtenst1.
