NY Jets Fire Basking Ridge's Tannenbaum as GM

Basking Ridge resident Mike Tannenbaum was fired Monday as New York Jets general manager after 15 years with the team.

After missing the playoffs for the second straight season, the Jets dismissed Tannenbaum in an early-morning meeting at their Florham Park practice facility, according to ESPN.

Tannenbaum became emotional when he read a farewell letter to the team after his firing, ESPN reported. The team then applauded Tannenbaum, who began his Jets career as a salary-cap manager under Bill Parcells before becoming the GM in 2006.

Tannenbaum and the Jets organization were criticized last year for the , when the team already had a starting signal caller in Mark Sanchez.

Tannenbaum spoke in 2011 at a Morris County Chamber of Commerce event, emphasizing the importance of selecting personnel who have strong character.

“You don’t want to give $5 million to a jerk,” Tannenbaum said.

In July, Tannenbaum, his wife Michelle, and their two children awarded two recent Ridge High School graduates, who also are members of the with what the YMCA described as the first annual Tannenbaum family scholarship.

, following the scholarship presentation about the YMCA, the Jets players' contributions, and the 2012 football season.