Are the New York Jets keeping an eye on the future?
“Numerous well-placed league sources close to NFL ownership groups—including teams whose current coaches are under fire—state that preliminary groundwork for a potential pursuit of NBC’s Mike Tomlin is already underway in East Rutherford,” NFL Insider Jason La Canfora wrote.
“Woody is starting to ask a lot of questions; he’s doing his homework on Tomlin,” an anonymous executive who knows Jets owner Woody Johnson well said via La Canfora. “This one has legs. I’m telling you. Mike is in New York at Rockefeller Center for NBC, Woody is back in charge at the facility, and he knows how steep the competition will be. You are going to hear a lot about the Jets.”
“Glenn is a dead man walking, and he knows it,” an anonymous general manager noted to La Canfora. “I hear the same thing about Woody wanting Tomlin. It makes complete sense—money won’t be an object.”
There Are a Lot of Things That Make Sense Here
Woody Johnson potentially being interested in Tomlin makes sense. Who wouldn’t be? He is a Super Bowl-winning head coach who never had a losing season with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
I spoke with Alex Kozora of Steelers Depot last week ahead of the Jets-Pittsburgh preseason game on “Boy Green Daily.” I talked to him about Tomlin potentially coming out of retirement to join the Jets in 2027.
He admitted that he would be “pretty surprised” if Tomlin was roaming the Jets’ sideline next year. However, the more critical question is Tomlin’s contract status. If the Jets or any team wanted to pursue him, would they be able to do so as a free agent? Or would they have to strike a trade with Pittsburgh to acquire his rights?
“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.
“You never know, but I would be pretty surprised if Tomlin was on the New York sideline next year.”
“The Jets would feel surprising, just given their struggles, so to speak. I don’t know if
One Blockbuster Move Could Lead to Another
If the Jets were able to land Tomlin, it could lead to an even bigger fish.
“A potential Tomlin hire could immediately trigger secondary moves across the league, with conversations pointing toward a pursuit of two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson,” La Canfora wrote.
“If Tomlin takes the reins in New York, where the Jets boast premium draft capital—including three first-round selections—there is a belief Jackson would strongly evaluate the destination. The pair share a deep mutual respect built over years of AFC North battles, and New York’s defensive core provides an immediate foundation for a contender,” La Canfora added.
Jackson, 29, will turn 30 before the start of the 2027 offseason. He still has two years remaining on his $260 million contract through the 2027 season. The two-time NFL MVP has a no-tag clause in his contract. That means Jackson has a path toward unrestricted free agency in 2028, which gives him leverage.
The Jets would have to use their draft capital to somehow convince the Ravens to trade away their superstar quarterback.
It’s a lot of ifs and maybes, but an exciting future for the team to think about following the 2026 season.
Jets Exploring a Pursuit of Super Bowl Winning HC: Report