Darren Mougey (pronounced: MOO-GEE) enters his second season as the general manager of the New York Jets after he was officially hired on January 25, 2025. Mougey has over a decade of NFL personnel experience after rising from scouting intern to assistant general manager with the Denver Broncos in just 10 seasons.

"Darren is a trusted NFL executive who has experience working with an impressive collection of football leaders," said Jets Chairman Robert Wood Johnson at the time of the announcement. "He is a proven talent evaluator who impressed us with his vision for this team. His partnership with Coach Glenn will revitalize this organization. I am proud of the thorough search we undertook and that it led us to the two best individuals to lead our football team going forward."

Since being hired, Mougey has diligently worked to construct the roster in his and Coach Glenn's shared vision. Over 90% of the roster has been drafted, signed, re-signed, extended, or acquired via trade by Mougey since last January (2025). Already, he's made 19 trades with 15 different teams, highlighted by the acquisition of three first round picks, a second round pick, and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell through the trades of cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive lineman Quinnen Williams in his first season as general manager.

The Jets have acquired 19 draft picks since Mougey took office, giving up 20 in the process, with 13 of those 20 falling in the sixth or seventh round. In just his second draft on the job, Mougey became the third general manager in franchise history to draft three players in the first round of the same draft, a feat that has only happened twice before in 2000 and 2022. In his own two drafts, Mougey has already added four first and two second round prospects in Armand Membou, David Bailey, Kenyon Sadiq, Omar Cooper Jr., Mason Taylor, and D'Angelo Ponds, while maintaining three first round picks and a second round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.

"Obviously, the draft capital we have, the cap space, and just being here now a year with AG, working with AG, the staff, getting to learn the staff, getting to learn the players, getting to learn this division, I feel more confident today than ever moving forward with what we have going," said Mougey.

Mougey's draft selections have paid early dividends for the team. In just his first season, Membou, who was Mougey's first-ever draft selection, was named to the PFWA All-Rookie team after he started every game and allowed one or less pressure in nine of his 17 starts, the most among all rookie tackles on the year and tied for the second-most by a tackle drafted in the last five years. Despite missing the final four games due to injury, tight end Mason Taylor finished his rookie campaign with the second-most receptions by a Jets tight end since the merger (44), while his 369 yards were the fourth-most.

Early in his tenure, Mougey has been proactive in re-signing and extending homegrown talent. Last summer, he signed wide receiver Garrett Wilson to a long-term extension and most recently followed with running back Breece Hall and offensive guard Joe Tippmann, underscoring his priority of rewarding players who exemplify what it means to be a Jet. In between, Mougey extended tight end Jeremy Ruckert and secured offensive lineman Josh Myers before he reached the open market. He began that approach by re-signing linebacker Jamien Sherwood prior to the start of his first legal tampering period on the job.

In addition to retaining his own, Mougey has explored every avenue to improve the roster. This offseason, he acquired five-time Pro Bowl safety Minkah Fitzpatrick from Miami, two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Geno Smith from Las Vegas, and defensive lineman T'Vondre Sweat from Tennessee. Mougey also added veteran leadership in free agency, highlighted by five-time All-Pro and three-time Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee linebacker Demario Davis, who is just 11 games shy of joining the top 100 list for the most games played in NFL history. Within the first week of the new league year, Mougey added a combined 70 years of NFL experience to the locker room, building on a young foundation that continues to take shape.

"When it comes to executing, man, (Mougey) does a really good job of executing the plan, the vision of what we're trying to build. I like every part of that, I do," said Head Coach Aaron Glenn.

Mougey's front office journey started in 2012 as a scouting intern, as he climbed the ranks to assistant general manager (2022-24). For the Broncos, he held six different roles within the personnel department for three different owners/chief executives, two different general managers, and six different head coaches. Notably, he worked as an area scout in 2015 when the Broncos won Super Bowl 50. In his 13 seasons with the club, Mougey was part of four AFC West titles (2012-15), two AFC Championships (2013, '15), and one World Championship (2015).

In his most recent role as assistant general manager (2022-24) for the Broncos, Mougey assisted General Manager George Paton in all personnel decisions, and before that as the director of player personnel (2021), he oversaw the day-to-day operations of the pro and college scouting departments. From 2021-24, the Broncos had nine All-Pro seasons by six different players, with five of them (Zach Allen, Nik Bonnito, Quinn Meinerz, Marvin Mims, and Patrick Surtain II) having been drafted or signed in that span.

As Denver snapped an eight-year postseason drought in 2024, Mougey helped acquire all but four of the 26 players that started at least five games for the Broncos in his four years as director of player personnel and assistant general manager.

Of those 26 players, 13 were drafted or signed as undrafted free agents, with seven of the 13 selected in rounds four through seven, or signing after not being selected. The Broncos had only two first-round picks between 2021-24, selecting All-Pro cornerback Surtain II (2021) and starting quarterback Bo Nix (2024).

Among his key pro defensive acquisitions, defensive lineman Allen registered a single-season best in sacks (8.5) in 2024 after signing in 2023, while safety Brandon Jones logged a single-season high in interceptions (three) in 2024 after signing in the same offseason.

A former player himself, Mougey was a quarterback and wide receiver at San Diego State (2004-08). A quarterback his first three seasons, he threw for 615 yards and two touchdowns, sharing a quarterback room in 2004 with Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell. He spent his final two seasons with the Aztecs at wide receiver, where he caught 66 passes for 805 yards and six touchdowns.

An undrafted free agent signing by Atlanta following the 2009 NFL Draft, Mougey spent time in training camp with the Falcons (2009) and Cardinals (2010) before beginning his career in the front office with the Broncos (2012).

A Scottsdale, AZ native, Mougey and his wife, Hannah, have two children, Emmett and Marlow.

FLIGHT PATH

New York Jets | 2025-Present

General Manager | 2025-Present

Denver Broncos | 2012-24

Assistant General Manager | 2022-24

Director of Player Personnel | 2021

Assistant Director of College Scouting | 2020

Area Scout | 2014-19

Personnel & Scouting Assistant | 2013

Scouting Intern | 2012

PLAYING CAREER

Arizona Cardinals (Wide Receiver) | 2010

Atlanta Falcons (Wide Receiver) 2009