Jets insiders push back on hypothetical Frank Reich succession talk

With the New York Jets hiring Frank Reich as their next offensive coordinator, some fans have already begun the doom-and-gloom routine of another retread hire.

Some Jets fans have speculated that Glenn effectively hired his own replacement, suggesting that he could be fired at some point next season with Reich stepping in as interim head coach.

But something that's been lost in the shuffle of the Reich hiring is how close Glenn and his new OC are, having been teammates on the Jets during the 1996 season. It seems unlikely that Glenn, with his back against the wall heading into 2026, would hire someone he didn't trust implicitly.

The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt and former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason (a confidant of Reich dating back to their shared days at the University of Maryland) pushed back on the narrative that Reich is here to usurp Glenn.

Frank Reich is not here to backstab Aaron Glenn according to Jets insiders

In an attempt to dispute the idea that Reich took the Jets offensive coordinator gig with his eyes on the head coach spot, Rosenblatt pointed to what Esiason said on his WFAN morning show, Boomer & Gio.

"He’s doing it to support his buddy and somebody he believes in. The guy I know does things for friends with a level of humility and support and a lack of backstabbing and shivving."

Boomer Esiason

Rosenblatt also noted Reich was "closer to retirement" than taking another offensive coordinator job, signaling the former head coach's intentions coming to New York.

If that's not enough for you, take it from Reich himself. After his most recent NFL chapter, serving as the head coach of the Carolina Panthers, the former NFL quarterback told the media he felt like he was done after a 1-10 start led to his midseason firing.

"This is probably the final chapter of my NFL journey," Reich told The Charlotte Observer at the time.
Evidently, that was not the case.

After taking the 2024 season off, Reich did a favor for one of his former pupils, agreeing to coach Andrew Luck's Stanford Cardinals for the 2025 season as they searched for a full-time replacement. They went 4-8, and Reich has now made the jump from college football back to the pros.

In all seriousness, this is probably the last football chapter for the 64-year-old Reich, and rather than using it to plan his next head coaching gig, he's likely hoping he can help out his old friend Glenn put a better product on the field, at least on offense.