Jets Select Edwards As Coach

Herman Edwards was hired Thursday to replace Al Groh as coach of the New York Jets. <br><br>Edwards becomes the NFL's third active black head coach. The Jets confirmed the hiring and planned to introduce

Thursday, January 18th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Herman Edwards was hired Thursday to replace Al Groh as coach of the New York Jets.

Edwards becomes the NFL's third active black head coach. The Jets confirmed the hiring and planned to introduce Edwards later in the day.

Edwards, the assistant head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was offered the job by the Jets' new general manager, Terry Bradway, with whom Edwards worked in Kansas City.

``Herman Edwards has successfully overcome every challenge he has ever faced, and I don't think this one will be any different,'' Bucs general manager Rich McKay said. ``The Jets are very fortunate to be getting such a quality guy.''

The hiring ended a quick, four-candidate search to replace Groh, who resigned after one season to become coach at Virginia.

Also interviewed were former Carolina Panthers coach Dom Capers, Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell and Jets assistant head coach Maurice Carthon.

Edwards was expected to ask Carthon to remain on the staff, perhaps as offensive coordinator.

Edwards joins Minnesota's Dennis Green and Tampa Bay's Tony Dungy as black head coaches. He was the Buccaneers' defensive coordinator and assistant head coach this season, his fifth with the team.

He will be only the second black head coach in the NFL's past 42 hirings.

Bradway was hired last week after Bill Parcells resigned as chief of football operations.

``It's not like the cupboard's bare,'' Edwards said. ``They just didn't finish it down the stretch or they'd be in the playoffs. I think the first thing that I realize is that it's a fresh start.''

Edwards played 10 seasons as an NFL defensive back and was involved in one of the famous plays in New York football history â€” ``The Fumble.'' Playing for Philadelphia in 1978, he recovered a fumble by Giants quarterback Joe Pisarcik with 31 seconds remaining and returned it 26 yards for a touchdown to give the Eagles a 19-17 victory.

He was a scout and then the secondary coach for the Chiefs before joining Dungy in Tampa.