The Jets ended a cross-country, 2 ½-week search for a head coach by hiring someone who grew up just minutes from their training center in Florham Park, N.J.

The Jets officially named Todd Bowles, a 51-year-old from Elizabeth, as their new head coach Wednesday. The Jets chose Bowles after two interviews in the last week.

They have hired the anti-Rex Ryan. Bowles brings a quiet demeanor, who is liked by his players but also not afraid to discipline them. The Jets believe he will be someone who can unify a franchise that was fractured over the past two years.

Despite a public perception Quinn was the favorite, a source said Bowles was just as popular, if not more. After the first round of interviews, the Jets’ desire was to interview both Bowles and Quinn again. To that end, the Jets were prepared to fly to Seattle on Saturday night if the Seahawks lost to the Panthers in the playoffs. They were not definitely going to offer him the job. Instead, they wanted to talk to him again. When the Seahawks won to advance to this week’s NFC Championship Game, that plan ended.

If the Jets wanted to wait to talk to Quinn again, it would not happen until after the NFC Championship Game, at the earliest. If the Seahawks were to defeat the Packers on Sunday, the Jets would not be able to offer him the job until after the Super Bowl.

With the Falcons and other teams also interested in Bowles, the Jets lined up a second interview with him for Tuesday. Owner Woody Johnson, team president Neil Glat and consultants Charley Casserly and Ron Wolf had been impressed with Bowles in the first interview Jan. 7.

In the second interview, new general manager Mike Maccagnan got to meet Bowles. A group of Bowles, Maccagnan, Johnson, Casserly and Wolf went to dinner that night. At one point, Maccagnan and Bowles were left alone. Maccagnan came away convinced Bowles was the right choice, and the two sides agreed on a four-year deal worth a little more than $16 million.

Bowles will work with Maccagnan to try to revive a Jets organization that has not made the playoffs or had a winning record since 2010.

“It’s an honor and privilege to coach the Jets,” Bowles said in a statement from the team. “I want to thank Mr. Johnson and Mike Maccagnan for this opportunity. I can’t help but be humbled by the chance to coach this team. I am going to do everything I can to build a consistent winner.”

Johnson was impressed with Bowles’ record.

“From entering the league as an undrafted free agent in Washington to becoming a very successful coordinator in Arizona,” Johnson said, “Todd has earned everything he has achieved. He is a hard-working and dedicated leader who has garnered the respect of players and coaches. I am confident that Todd and Mike Maccagnan are the right combination to lead this team.”

With Bowles coming to the Jets, Quinn is the favorite to get the Falcons job, and Atlanta is willing to wait for him, according to an ESPN report.

Sources said Bowles’ approach of being something between an players’ coach and a disciplinarian appealed to the team. They felt players would play hard for him, but would also be held accountable, something that was lacking under Ryan.

The Jets also liked Bowles’ ideas about putting together a coaching staff. Bowles wants to hire former Bills and Cowboys coach Chan Gailey as his offensive coordinator, according to a source. He also is expected to hire Dolphins defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers as his defensive coordinator, according to a source.

Bowles, 51, was considered one of the top head-coaching candidates on the market. He spent the past two seasons in Arizona, where the Cardinals were fifth in scoring defense this year.

“I think he’s going to be a great head coach,” Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell said in a telephone interview Wednesday. “ He has all the tangibles. He’s smart. He knows how to put his talent in position to win. He’s a natural leader. People want to follow him because he does it the right way consistently. I’m excited for him to see how well he does.”

The Cardinals’ defense had to overcome injuries and suspensions to some key players this past season. Bowles’ adaptability is something that impressed the Jets.

“I think that’s what makes him a great coach,” Campbell said. “He knows what his players do well and he puts them in position to do well. He knows if what an outside linebacker’s strengths are and he’ll put him in those situations to excel and try to keep him out of situations where he will struggle.”

Campbell supported the Jets’ view that Bowles will put his foot down when he needs to.

“He yells rarely but he will get after you, especially when the energy is low,” Campbell said. “He’ll get on you real quick. As long as you have good energy and you make mistakes, he’ll fix them, but if you don’t have good energy, he’ll get after you real quick. He definitely has a fire behind him when he needs to.”