And then along comes Kansas City offering a new deal that should at least double his salary, and, when you factor in cost of living differences and taxes, will about triple his net pay. The Chiefs will give him a better team to work with, too. The Chiefs are a team that needs little more than a tweak here and noodge there to be in the playoffs.

Look at whatever job you have and ask yourself if you’d go to another company to take a better job at triple your pay. Would you be concerned if you’d sworn devotion two months ago to your current employer? How would you feel if your current employer never returned your declaration?

You’d be out of there in a heartbeat. We all would. Edwards didn’t go back on his word. He went with the company that wants him, a company that’s playing to win the game.

The Jets didn’t make the feeblest attempt to keep him. Instead, management all but jumping at the chance to get a lowly fourth-round draft pick in return for a coach who’s been much more successful than most of the people the Jets have had in that position in the 36 years since its first and only Super Bowl win.

Slide show   Super Bowl bound Top images from the NFL’s championship game round.

Edwards has a few deficiencies in game management. But he’s as classy, hard-working and competitive as it gets. When he had the tools, he made the Jets competitive. If there were real failings in the organization, it was with general manager Terry Bradway, who drafted one Pro Bowl player, Santana Moss, then traded him to Washington.

The Jets have question marks at quarterback. The offensive line is a shambles. The defense has some promise, but also needs shoring up. But the team played hard for Edwards.

In fact, it played too hard. Had they lost one more game, they’d be in position to snare one of the three top picks – Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart or, if he comes out, Vince Young. But Edwards wouldn’t let them. He wrung a victory over woeful Oakland out of a team that had no business winning.

It turns out it’s a perfect parting gift to a team that didn’t show him any love. He gets a playoff team. The Jets get to pick fourth – and an extra fourth-round pick.

As is the case in life more often than we admit, both Edwards and the Jets got what they deserved.

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