FLOWERY BRANCH – Falcons special teams coordinator Keith Armstrong was blocked by the team from interviewing with the New York Jets last season.
The Jets, who are coached by Armstrong's former college teammate Todd Bowles, fired their special teams coordinator on Wednesday.
Falcons assistants are evaluating their players this week. Armstrong is believed to be in the last year of his contract with the team.
Armstrong, 52, and Bowles played for Arizona head coach Bruce Arians at Temple. Armstrong has coached in the NFL for the past 22 years.
Armstrong, a native of Trenton, N.J., who nearly landed the Kansas City job two years ago. He was interviewed for the Falcons’ head coaching vacancy on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2014.
Armstrong’s punt coverage unit set the league record for yards allowed (49) for a 16-game season in 2008. Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers set the lowest amount for a 14-game season back in 1967, with 22 yards allowed.
Armstrong’s units have consistently been ranked among the league’s top groups. He was one of the stars during the team’s appearance on HBO’s Hard Knocks in 2014.
In addition to interviewing with the Chiefs in 2012, Armstrong has had interviews with the Eagles and the Bears.
Armstrong, who sent cover man and returner Eric Weems to the Pro Bowl in 2010 and returner Devin Hester in 2014, this season, drew an unsportsmanlike last season against Arizona.
Before returning to coach with the Falcons in 2008, Armstrong coached special teams for the Dolphins (2001-07), Chicago (1997-2000) and was the Falcons’ safeties coach in 1994 and ’95 and the secondary coach in 1996.
Before entering the NFL, he coached in college at Temple, Akron, Miami, Notre Dame and Oklahoma State.
He was also part of the NFL’s Minority Coaching Fellowship Program during training camps with the New York Jets (1991), Dallas Cowboys (1992) and Chicago Bears (1993).
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