Falcons request to interview former Jets GM Joe Douglas

As the Falcons begin their first round of interviews for the vacant general manager position, one surprise name has entered the conversation — former Jets GM Joe Douglas.

The Falcons have requested permission to interview former Jets GM Joe Douglas for their vacant general manager position, sources tell @NFLonCBS. Douglas has been a senior personnel director with the Eagles since re-joining the organization last year.

— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) January 22, 2026

Joe Douglas got his start with the Ravens in 2000 as a scout, where he remained until 2014. In 2015, he was named Chicago’s director of college scouting before joining the Philadelphia Eagles as vice president of player personnel from 2016–2019.

If you stopped right there, that’s a damn good résumé. Unfortunately, Douglas is best remembered for his stint as general manager of the Jets, where he ran the franchise from 2019–2024. During that stretch, New York never posted a winning season, and while there were some legitimate hits on the defensive side of the ball, Douglas’ tenure was largely defined by dysfunction. It’s a period he’d probably like the rest of the NFL world to forget.

Now, the Falcons were willing to overlook similar circumstances with Kevin Stefanski, betting that his 8–26 record over his final two seasons in Cleveland had more to do with the Browns’ incompetence than his own shortcomings. There’s a chance Douglas could have a much better second act as a general manager, and working alongside Howie Roseman in Philadelphia — where he’s been since the Jets let him go — certainly doesn’t hurt his résumé.

That said, it would be surprising if the Falcons, coming off eight straight losing seasons, decided Joe Douglas was the right person to lead the next chapter as their general manager.

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Photo: Joshua Sarner/Icon Sportswire

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