Jets coach Aaron Glenn’s to-do list: from offensive coordinator to Aaron Rodgers

The New York Jets got a head start on their head coach (and general manager) search but took their time making a decision. In total, they interviewed 16 different coaching candidates before landing on the one that been viewed as the favorite pretty much since Robert Saleh was fired after Week 5. That is: Aaron Glenn.

Lance Newmark, most recently the Washington Commanders’ assistant GM, was expected to join Glenn as the Jets’ new general manager, largely because of a relationship built together over a few years with the Detroit Lions. But the Jets are still working the process on that vacancy and are expected to speak with other candidates too, starting with Broncos assistant GM Darren Mougey and Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown on Thursday.

So for now, Glenn is the face of the new Jets regime, one that will be tasked with getting this organization back to the playoffs after a 14-year drought, the longest in the league. Glenn has a lot of problems to fix, specifically the culture of an organization that has been dysfunctional for a long time — but that will take time.

In the short-term, the Jets have the talent to compete right away. Here is a five-part to-do list for Glenn as he begins his head coaching journey:

1. The introductory press conference

It doesn’t actually matter if a head coach “wins the press conference.” Adam Gase’s went terribly. Robert Saleh’s went well. Both were unsuccessful. But I think the Jets have reached a point where the issues that need to be addressed are obvious, and the press conference would be a good time to make clear that things are going to be different with Glenn at the helm.

I think about something Mike Vrabel said at his introductory press conference in New England (by the way, it’s going to be fun watching Vrabel and Glenn go head-to-head leading the franchises they once played for) about changing the culture: “We’re gonna remove entitlement from our football team.”

The Jets have thrown the word “accountability” around a lot in recent years but there hasn’t been a whole lot of it, behind the scenes or publicly. If Glenn is going to change the culture, it needs to start there.

More than that: There should be no talk of Super Bowls. The Jets need to climb each rung of the ladder one step at a time. That starts with, finally, making the playoffs.

2. Garrett Wilson

The star receiver, and his happiness, needs to be a priority. That’s not to say Wilson should be part of any decision-making when it comes to quarterback, offensive coordinator or other free agents. But Glenn (and whomever is hired as GM) should speak with him promptly and make it clear how important Wilson is to both their present and future. Wilson has thrived despite turmoil (coaching, quarterbacking, ownership) all around him, but his frustration has been visible at times.

3. Offensive coordinator (and offensive staff)

Glenn had already started reaching out to coaches around the league to potentially join his staff, but the most important position is obvious: offensive coordinator.

According to league sources, Klint Kubiak (Saints OC), Scott Turner (Raiders OC) and Nick Caley (Rams pass game coordinator) are on his shortlist of contenders for the job, among others; Caley is viewed as the favorite. The 42-year-old has interviewed for a few offensive coordinator jobs in recent years, including for the Jets in 2023 after Mike LaFleur was fired. Kubiak and Turner were offensive coordinators in 2024 but their teams fired their head coaches. Kubiak also interviewed for the Seahawks and Browns offensive coordinator jobs (Cleveland opted for an in-house promotion, Tommy Rees).

Other names that have been mentioned as candidates, via various reports: ex-Bears interim coach Thomas Brown, Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson, former Chiefs head coach Todd Haley and Lions quarterbacks coach Mark Brunell. Vikings quarterbacks coach Josh McCown is expected to stay in Minnesota, but he has been mentioned too.

As for other names to look out for as potential additions to the offensive staff, due to past ties to Glenn:
• Anthony Lynn, Commanders run game coordinator
• Pete Carmichael, Broncos senior offensive assistant
• J.T. Barrett, Lions assistant quarterbacks coach
• John Morton, Broncos passing game coordinator

4. Defensive and special teams coordinators

A few weeks ago, Glenn told reporters that he’s not just a defensive coach. “I’m a coach,” he said. “I just happen to be on defense. I understand the offense just as well as a number of people. If you want to hire me, you’re going to hire a coach. You’re not gonna hire a defensive coach. I’m gonna talk to the offense just as much as I’m gonna talk to the defense.”

One question still to be answered: Will Glenn be calling defensive plays, or pass that off to his defensive coordinator? As the Jets learned with Jeff Ulbrich, play-calling is no easy task for a first-time head coach. Though the difference here is that Glenn is getting all of the offseason and training camp while Ulbrich was thrown into the fire midseason (without anyone else on staff who had head-coaching experience).

The answer might come based on who Glenn hires as defensive coordinator. An early contender, per league sources, is Steve Wilks, who was fired after one season as the 49ers defensive coordinator in 2023. He spent 2022 as the Panthers defensive coordinator and interim head coach, 2019 as the Browns defensive coordinator, 2018 as the Cardinals head coach and 2017 as the Panthers defensive coordinator. He has plenty of experience.

Glenn is also expected to have interest in bringing Lions defensive assistant Jim O’Neil onto his staff. O’Neil was the defensive coordinator for the Browns in 2014-15 (when Glenn was on staff) and 49ers in 2016.

Jets defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton and cornerbacks coach Tony Oden are also both under consideration for roles on Glenn’s staff, according to sources.

A couple coaches on the Lions staff who are logical candidates to potentially join him in New York include defensive passing game coordinator Deshea Townsend and inside linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard.

As for special teams coordinator: Chris Banjo is considered a top candidate for that job, according to a league source. Banjo is the Broncos assistant special teams coordinator, under Sean Payton, and played safety for the Saints when Glenn was the defensive backs coach.

Brant Boyer has stuck around in that job for the Jets through multiple head coaching changes over the years and is well-liked in the building. Another potential candidate: Darren Rizzi, who was the special teams coordinator in New Orleans for a couple seasons while Glenn was there. Rizzi, the Saints’ interim head coach after Dennis Allen was fired this season, impressed Jets brass when he interviewed for the head-coaching job.

5. Aaron Rodgers

This is the biggest question mark hanging over the Jets: What to do with Aaron Rodgers. This decision won’t be made yet, not until a general manager is hired. But this was surely a topic of conversation during GM and head-coach interviews, and Glenn likely has an idea of what he wants to do.

Even if Glenn and the next GM want to keep Rodgers, there’s still the question of whether Rodgers will actually want to stick around. If owner Woody Johnson leaves it up to Glenn and the GM to make that decision, then there’s certainly a chance he’s the quarterback in 2025. If not, it’s hard to believe that Johnson was OK with Rodgers’ repeated, thinly veiled shots at Johnson in the media over the latter half of last season, the quarterback even making a joke about Johnson’s son, Brick, at one point during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show.”

Rodgers is currently mulling whether he wants to play at all, and alluded to a decision likely coming with the Jets by the start of free agency in March. If the Jets want to try and win in 2025, Rodgers might be their best option at quarterback. If the goal is to think more long-term that is probably not the case, unless Rodgers is willing to cater to whatever Glenn and/or the new offensive coordinator ask of him. Historically, Rodgers has insisted on running his offense and hasn’t been especially willing to work with offensive coaches he isn’t comfortable with. None of the proposed candidates to fill the role of play-caller on Glenn’s staff have a past history with Rodgers. Additionally, keeping Rodgers would also likely mean keeping wide receiver Davante Adams — getting rid of Rodgers would likely mean moving on from Adams too.

If the Jets were to move on from Rodgers, the only quarterbacks on the roster are veteran Tyrod Taylor and Jordan Travis, the 2024 fifth-round pick who didn’t practice a single time last year while recovering from a gruesome leg injury suffered in college. It’s unclear when Travis will be ready to return to the field.

It’s not a rich free-agent class at quarterback: Sam Darnold is probably the top option and it’s unlikely he’d want to return to New York. Kirk Cousins could break free but he’s 37 in August and coming off his worst season. Russell Wilson, 36, isn’t a particularly appealing option. It’s also not a promising NFL draft class at quarterback and the Jets, with the seventh overall pick, are likely out of range of the top prospects anyway.

There’s no obvious answer at quarterback, but this will be a crucial decision. Most head coaches who fail do so because they never figured out their quarterback situation.

(Photo: Nic Antaya / Getty Images)