Aaron Glenn has dealt with an array of problems as the head coach of the New York Jets. Perhaps the most glaring is his clock management in end-of-first-half scenarios.
He has been the HC of the NYJ for 24 games. During that stretch, Glenn has been outscored 107-6 at the end of the first half. If you want to focus solely on this season, Glenn has been outscored 27-0.
Longtime NFL coach-turned-broadcaster Mike Tomlin was asked for his reaction to that stunning statistic on “Football Night in America” on Sunday, October 25.
“Yeah, like we talked about on the first of October, with three games in, you have enough of a volume of work to determine what your weaknesses are and then plot out a course to fix them. Well, they have been looking at this particular weakness since the beginning of last season, and it’s still 107 to 6. So certainly they have a lot of work ahead of them. If I were them, I would do two minutes every day of my life until further notice,” Tomlin said.
Fans Already Calling for Tomlin to Come Save the Jets
“Throw 25 million a year at Tomlin and make him say no. Jets need a culture changer in the worst way. Haven’t had someone come in like that since Bill Parcells. The coaching carousel for the Jets has been a total disaster for over the last 25 years. Hard to believe but true,” a Jets fan posted on X.
Another fan chimed in, “Tomlin is a HC first, defensive mind second. Not a DC who is testing their leadership skills. That’s why he’s the only one who is not an offensive mind that’s right for the Jets job.”
“Come save this franchise Mike,” a Jets fan pleaded.
On January 13, Tomlin stepped down as the Pittsburgh Steelers head coach after a wildly successful 19-year run.
According to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor, Tomlin had two years remaining on his contract.
“The Steelers will retain his coaching rights and could negotiate compensation if he returns to an NFL sideline before the end of the 2027 season,” Pryor wrote.
However, that may not be exactly true.
I spoke with Alex Kozora of Steelers Depot on “Boy Green Daily” this offseason and he suggested there is some “gray area” with Tomlin’s contract.
“This one is a little weird; there’s some gray area … The Steelers extended Tomlin’s contract through the 2027 season, but the belief was it’s a team option for 2027. So I don’t know how team options work in terms of rights … I think the belief is right now that Pittsburgh probably would not get any compensation in a trade for Tomlin if he coaches elsewhere,” Kozora explained to me on the podcast.
Something to monitor if the Jets choose to pursue Tomlin as a potential head coaching option in 2027.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly With Tomlin
Objectively, Tomlin is a terrific coach. He has a career winning percentage of .628 (193-114-2). However, there is a reason things didn’t work out at the end in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers hadn’t won a playoff game in nearly a decade under Tomlin’s final run with the team. Pittsburgh’s last playoff win came on January 15, 2017, as part of the 2016 regular season.
Tomlin has been coaching defensive football since 1998. Under Woody Johnson’s 26 years of ownership, he has primarily employed defensive-minded head coaches, and that hasn’t worked out great.
There is a thirst from the fan base to hire an offensive-minded head coach. Tomlin wouldn’t check that box.
You can’t please everybody, but inarguably Tomlin should certainly be considered one of the most qualified candidates available on the market.
The Jets are in the same town as the New York Giants, who are enjoying a resurgent season thanks to a highly qualified coach in John Harbaugh. The Jets could look to take a page out of their crosstown rival’s playbook during the 2027 offseason.
Mike Tomlin Responds to Aaron Glenn’s Problems After Jets Loss