NEW YORK -- New York Jets owner Woody Johnson formally met with offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer on Tuesday about the team's coaching vacancy, a person familiar with the search told The Associated Press.
Johnson was out of the country last Friday when general manager Mike Tannenbaum began the first round of interviews with Schottenheimer and assistant head coach/offensive line coach Bill Callahan.
Callahan will sit down with Johnson on Wednesday, according to the person, who requested anonymity because the individual wasn't authorized to discuss the search to replace the fired Eric Mangini.
Boston College's Jeff Jagodzinski met with Jets officials Tuesday to discuss the opening -- an interview that was expected to cost him his job with the Eagles.
Jagodzinski, who became BC's coach in 2007, was told by athletic director Gene DeFilippo that he would be fired if he met with the NFL team.
Johnson and Tannenbaum will fly to Arizona on Thursday to interview Cardinals offensive line coach Russ Grimm. The former four-time Pro Bowl guard with Washington is in his second season with the Cardinals, who play at Carolina in the NFC divisional playoffs Saturday.
The Jets will interview Indianapolis defensive coordinator Ron Meeks on Friday at the team's practice facility in Florham Park, N.J.
Meeks, 54, has been in charge of the Colts' defense for the last seven seasons and was a candidate for the Washington job last offseason that went to Jim Zorn. He's the first minority candidate to speak with New York, putting the Jets in compliance with the NFL's Rooney Rule.
New York met on Saturday with Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who has also interviewed for the vacancies in Cleveland and Detroit. The Jets have also received permission to speak with Baltimore defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, but haven't set a date for an interview. The Ravens play at Tennessee in the AFC divisional playoffs Saturday.
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press
