Getty Image
Dan Mullen has posted a 29-9 record in his three seasons as Florida’s head coach which includes a trip to the SEC Championship this season and an Orange Bowl victory in 2019. You would assume that all is well in Gainesville given his success since arriving from Mississippi State, but that doesn’t necessarily appear to be the case.
Florida ended its season by taking a 55-20 beatdown from Oklahoma, which came just after the program was hit with NCAA sanctions and Mullen was handed a one-year show-cause penalty. It has also been reported that there is an “uncomfortable pause” between Mullen and the university at the moment. On top of all that, Adam Schefter has reported that Mullen has told NFL teams that he is “open” to making the jump to the NFL.
While it may look like a convenient time for Mullen to bolt from Florida, his résumé speaks for itself and you can’t blame any NFL teams for being interested in hiring the 48-year-old.
The New York Jets (finally) parted ways with Adam Gase and according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, “college coaches such as Iowa State’s Matt Campbell, Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh and Florida’s Dan Mullen” are in the running as head coaching candidates.
“Jets owner Woody Johnson — still United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom and not with the team — has long been intrigued by Harbaugh, 57, who has been exploring through intermediaries a potential return to the NFL. However, Harbaugh’s name is not considered to be on the front burner at this time, per sources.
Before hiring Gase two years ago, the Jets put in a request to interview Campbell, 41, who declined. He remains a possible target for NFL teams, though it’s unclear how willing he is to entertain such a move. Mullen, 48, has a strong track record developing quarterbacks, including Alex Smith at Utah, Dak Prescott at Mississippi State and Kyle Trask at Florida.”
Mullen has three years remaining on his contract with the Gators and is set to make just over $6 million per year.