The New York Jets have a lot of work to do after another disappointing season in 2025. While Aaron Glenn is going to be given some time to figure things out as the team’s head coach, it’s clear that the Jets want to see some improvements moving forward. As a result, Glenn has begun completely overhauling his coaching staff.
After a slow start to the offseason, Glenn has decided to part ways with several members of his coaching staff recently, with the latest guy on the move being offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand. And based on the initial plan Glenn mapped out to begin the offseason, it sounds like several coaches involved in the mass exodus were caught off guard by his sudden change of heart.
Aaron Glenn’s Coaching Overhaul Has Caught Coaches by Surprise: Report
Various coaches were told at the end of the season that they were
Glenn was hired by New York as its new head coach after a strong stint with the Detroit Lions as their defensive coordinator. And yet, in his first season in charge, pretty much everything that could go wrong for Glenn did go wrong. Justin Fields quickly flamed out at quarterback, and his defense made NFL history by becoming the first team to make it through an entire season without recording a single interception.
Given how poorly things went for Glenn, it was fair to wonder if he would get fired by the team after just one season. Again, while he’s sticking around for now, Glenn’s leash has become considerably shorter, and if things go sideways again in 2026, he could quickly find himself without a job.
As a result, Glenn isn’t taking any chances, as he’s completely revamping his coaching staff heading into the new season. The latest surprising decision saw Engstrand get fired from seemingly out of nowhere on Tuesday, with reports indicating Glenn is targeting Frank Reich to be his new offensive coordinator. According to a recent report, it sounds like Glenn’s plan for the offseason changed recently, which has led to his surprising coaching staff decisions.
“There were some Jets coaches who were under the impression at the end of the season that Aaron Glenn would be bringing them back in their same roles in 2026, according to sources,” Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic said in a post on X. “At some point in the last week or so, multiple sources said they felt Glenn changed course on his original plan for the offseason. Various position coaches were fired, and at least a few of them were surprised at that happening.”
Aaron Glenn Has to Move Quickly to Rebuild his Coaching Staff
GettyHead coach Aaron Glenn of the New York Jets looks on prior to a game against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome.
Glenn has made himself a very busy man in a short amount of time. Not only does he need a new offensive and defensive coordinator now, but he also let go of several assistant coaches who were believed to be sticking around with the team. Glenn likely has candidates in mind for these positions if he’s moving on from these guys, but going out and getting them is going to be easier said than done.
Beyond that, pretty much every team has a head start over New York when it comes to finding these coaches. The Jets still have to go through the proper hiring process in order to bring new faces to town, which takes time. Glenn has made a slew of curious decisions that have caught everyone off guard, even his own team, and it’s fair to wonder whether this will come back to bite him.
Aaron Glenn’s Abrupt Changes to Jets Staff Reportedly ‘Surprised’ Several Coaches