5 things to know about new Jets passing game specialist Greg Knapp

While the Jets have yet to make it official, NFL Network’s Michael Silver reported Monday that Greg Knapp will be Robert Saleh’s passing game specialist.

Knapp has substantial experience working with quarterbacks, which should bode well for a team that has a level of uncertainty under center heading into the new league year. Whether it’s Sam Darnold or a rookie quarterback, Knapp will have his work cut out for him.

Now that Knapp is becoming a Jets coach, let’s get to know him a bit better.

Extensive coaching background

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Knapp comes to New York with a great deal of coaching experience under his belt. The 57-year-old has been coaching for 34 years, 25 of which have come in the NFL. Knapp got his start as Sacramento State's running backs coach in 1986, with his most recent coaching stop coming in Atlanta, where he served as the Falcons quarterbacks coach from 2018-20. Knapp worked his way up the coaching ranks at Sacramento State, serving as the program's wide receivers coach and then as the offensive coordinator and assistant head coach before leaving for the NFL. Knapp got his feet wet at the pro level with the 49ers, where he again worked his way up, going from offensive quality control coach to quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator. After leaving San Francisco in 2004, Knapp has made his way around the NFL, serving as an offensive coordinator with the Falcons, Raiders (twice) and Seahawks. He's also worked as a quarterbacks coach with the Texans, Broncos and Falcons.

Work with quarterbacks

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If there's one thing that Knapp can hang his hat on, it's his extensive work with some great quarterbacks. His quarterbacks have played in a combined 11 Pro Bowls. As a coordinator and a position coach, Knapp has coached five different 4,000-yard passers: Steve Young (1998), Jeff Garcia (2000), Carson Palmer (2012), Peyton Manning (2013-14) and Matt Ryan (2018). Knapp's most notable work came in Denver. Knapp spent four seasons (2013-16) with the Broncos, where he was the quarterbacks coach. Knapp and ex-Jets head coach Adam Gase helped Manning enjoy one of the best seasons by a quarterback in NFL history in 2013. The future Hall of Famer threw for a career-high 5,477 yards and 55 touchdowns.

What have you done for me lately?

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Knapp got the most out of Ryan over the last three years. In Knapp's first season working with Ryan, 2018, the veteran quarterback completed 69.4% of his passes for 4,924 yards with 35 passing touchdowns and just seven interceptions. The following season, Ryan had 11 different games in which he passed for 300 yards or more, which tied for the third-most games in a single-season in league history. He finished the 2019 campaign completing 66.2% of his passes for 4,466 yards, 26 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. This past season, the 13-year veteran completed 65% of his passes for 4,581 yards, 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

On the run

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Knapp has a history of working with mobile quarterbacks. When Knapp became the Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator in 2004, he worked with Michael Vick. Under Knapp's tutelage, Vick became the first quarterback in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season.

Former college quarterback

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Before launching his coaching career with his alma mater, Knapp starred at Sacramento State, where he became one of the better quarterbacks in program history. Knapp threw for over 3,800 yards with 32 passing touchdowns there. While Knapp did start his coaching carer in 1986, he spent time as a training camp quarterback with the Chiefs, Raiders and 49ers from 1986-1994.