Hated NY Jets coach back in the NFL after joining Vikings staff

The NY Jets have had one of the least respected offensive coaching staffs in the NFL over the last few years. The hope is that Aaron Glenn's staff, led by offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand, will be able to change that reputation.

One former assistant coach who largely contributed to that unfortunate notoriety was offensive line coach Keith Carter. The ex-Titans assistant was not exactly held in high regard around the league and was heavily scrutinized by multiple former players.

It didn't come as much of a surprise when the Jets opted to part ways with Carter following Glenn's hiring. Less than a month after his ousting, however, Carter has landed a new gig.

The Minnesota Vikings officially hired Carter as their assistant offensive line coach this week. Carter will serve under offensive line coach Chris Kuper and offensive coordinator Wes Phillips in what is essentially a demotion for the longtime NFL assistant.

Former NY Jets coach Keith Carter has landed a new NFL job

The 42-year-old has been an offensive line coach in the NFL since 2018, spending five seasons with the Tennessee Titans before joining Robert Saleh's staff in New York. He hasn't been an assistant offensive line coach at any level since 2016 when he was with the Atlanta Falcons.

The move signals a demotion for the well-traveled assistant coach, which shouldn't be too surprising given his controversial tenures with both the Titans and Jets.

Longtime Titans offensive linemen Taylor Lewan and Ben Jones were highly critical of Carter after his tenure in Nashville. They condemned his notoriously grueling practices, which, according to Lewan, wore down players' bodies and took a toll as the season progressed.

That reputation followed him to New York. Players like Mekhi Becton and Breece Hall openly complained about Carter on social media, while reports emerged that he was not well-liked in the Jets' locker room.

To Carter's credit, the Jets' offensive line did overachieve in 2024. A unit that had question marks entering the year ended up as a genuine strength for the team by the end of the season.

Young players like Olu Fashanu and Joe Tippmann showed promise. Middling free-agent signing John Simpson was arguably the team's best overall offensive line. Carter's unit objectively performed well in 2024.

But when a coach is seemingly disliked by the majority of his players, that’s rarely a good sign. Perhaps Carter can rebuild his reputation as an assistant offensive line coach in Minnesota, but either way, Jets players are likely glad to see him go.

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