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

The New York Jets had a head start on their search for a head coach (and general manager), but took their time making a decision. In total, they interviewed 16 different coaching candidates before settling on the favorite since Robert Saleh was fired after Week 5: Aaron Glenn.

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

So for now, Glenn is the face of the new Jets regime, tasked with getting this organization back to the playoffs after a 14-year drought, the longest in the league. Glenn has many problems to solve, particularly the culture of an organization that has long been dysfunctional – but it 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 career:

1. The opening press conference

It doesn’t really matter if a head coach “wins the press conference.” Adam Gase ran terribly. Things went well for Robert Saleh. 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 it clear that things will be different with Glenn at the helm.

I’m thinking of something Mike Vrabel said at his inaugural press conference in New England about changing the culture (by the way, it’ll be fun to watch Vrabel and Glenn compete at the top of the franchises they once played for). ): “We “We will withdraw the right to our football team.”

The Jets have thrown around the word “accountability” a lot in recent years, but there hasn’t been much of it behind the scenes or in public. If Glenn wants to change the culture, he has to start there.

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

2. Garrett Wilson

The star receiver and his happiness must be a priority. That doesn’t mean Wilson should be involved in the decision-making when it comes to quarterback, offensive coordinator or other free agents. But Glenn (and whoever is hired as GM) should speak to him immediately and make it clear how important Wilson is to their present and future. Wilson thrived despite the turmoil (coaching, quarterbacking, ownership) around him, but his frustration was visible at times.

3. Offensive coordinator (and offensive staff)

Glenn had already begun reaching out to coaches around the league about potentially joining his team, but the most important position is obvious: offensive coordinator.

According to league sources, his short list of candidates for the job includes Klint Kubiak (Saints OC), Scott Turner (Raiders OC) and Nick Caley (Rams passing game coordinator); Caley is considered 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 applied for the Seahawks’ and Browns’ offensive coordinator jobs (Cleveland chose an internal promotion, Tommy Rees).

Other names mentioned as candidates in various reports: former 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 has also been mentioned.

As for other names to look for as potential additions to the offensive staff based on previous ties to Glenn:
• Anthony Lynn, Commanders Run Game Coordinator
• Pete Carmichael, Broncos senior offensive assistant
• JT 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 wasn’t just a defensive coach. “I’m a coach,” he said. “I happen to be on defense. I understand the offense as well as many people. If you want to hire me, hire a coach. They won’t hire a defensive coach. I’ll talk to the offense as much as I talk to the defense.”

One question still needs to be answered: Will Glenn call defensive plays or pass them on to his defensive coordinator? As the Jets learned with Jeff Ulbrich, calling the game is no easy task for a first-time head coach. The difference here, however, is that Glenn gets the entire offseason and training camp, while Ulbrich was thrown into the fire midseason (without anyone else on the team with head coaching experience).

The answer could come down to who Glenn hires as defensive coordinator. One early contender, according to league sources, is Steve Wilks, who was fired as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator in 2023 after one season. 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 a lot of experience.

Glenn is also expected to be interested in bringing Lions defensive assistant Jim O’Neil onto his staff. O’Neil was the defensive coordinator of the Browns in 2014-15 (when Glenn was with the team) and the 49ers in 2016.

According to the sources, Jets defensive coach Aaron Whitecotton and cornerbacks coach Tony Oden are also being considered for roles on Glenn’s staff.

Lions coaches who would be logical candidates for a potential move to New York include defensive passing game coordinator Deshea Townsend and inside linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard.

As for special teams coordinator, Chris Banjo is considered the leading candidate for the 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 held onto that job with the Jets despite several head coach changes over the years and is well-liked in the building. Another potential candidate: Darren Rizzi, who served as special teams coordinator in New Orleans for a few seasons while Glenn was there. Rizzi, the Saints’ interim coach after Dennis Allen was fired this season, impressed Jets leadership when he interviewed for the head coaching job.

5. Aaron Rodgers

That’s the biggest question mark hanging over the Jets: What to do with Aaron Rodgers? That decision won’t be made until a general manager is hired. But that’s certainly been a topic of conversation in GM and head coach interviews, and Glenn probably has an idea of ​​what he wants to do.

Even if Glenn and the next GM want to keep Rodgers, the question remains whether Rodgers actually wants to stick around. If owner Woody Johnson leaves it up to Glenn and the GM to make that decision, there’s certainly a chance he’ll be the quarterback in 2025. If not, it’s hard to believe that Johnson was okay with Rodgers’ repeated, thinly veiled shots at Johnson. During an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” in the second half of last season, the quarterback even made a joke about Johnson’s son, Brick .

Rodgers is currently considering whether he wants to play at all and indicated the Jets will likely make a decision when free agency begins in March. If the Jets want to try to win in 2025, Rodgers could be their best option at quarterback. If the goal is to think longer-term, that’s probably not the case unless Rodgers is willing to accommodate whatever Glenn and/or the new offensive coordinator asks of him. In the past, Rodgers has insisted on running be offensive coach and wasn’t particularly willing to work with offensive coaches he wasn’t comfortable with. None of the proposed candidates for the play-caller role on Glenn’s staff have a history with Rodgers. Additionally, keeping Rodgers would also likely mean keeping wide receiver Davante Adams – getting rid of Rodgers would also likely mean moving on from Adams.

If the Jets were to trade Rodgers, the only quarterbacks on the roster would be veteran Tyrod Taylor and Jordan Travis, the 2024 fifth-round pick who didn’t practice once last year while recovering from a gruesome leg injury he suffered in college had . 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 best option and it’s unlikely he’ll want to return to New York. Kirk Cousins ​​could break free, but he’ll be 37 in August and coming off his worst season. Russell Wilson, 36, isn’t a particularly attractive option. It’s also not a promising NFL Draft class at quarterback and the Jets, with the seventh overall pick, are likely out of reach for top prospects anyway.

There is no clear answer at quarterback, but this will be a crucial decision. Most head coaches who fail do so because they never figured out what quarterback situation they were in.

(Photo: Nic Antaya/Getty Images)