Jets land longtime Mike Tomlin assistant in major addition to Aaron Glenn's staff

The New York Jets added their first new assistant coach to the defensive staff on Wednesday night, bringing in former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive line coach Karl Dunbar to fill the same position, according to the New York Post's Brian Costello.

Dunbar, a former NFL defensive lineman himself, had spent the last eight seasons on Mike Tomlin's defensive staff. It will be his second stint with the Jets, having served as the defensive line coach under Rex Ryan from 2012 to 2014.

The hire has been met with excitement, as any coach coming from the Steelers and Tomlin arrives with a certain pedigree that you didn't see on Aaron Glenn's defensive staff in 2025.

Jets hire Karl Dunbar as defensive line coach

New York desperately needed a new voice in their defensive line room. In 2025, the Jets' defense was one of the worst in almost all major categories, finishing 29th in rushing yards allowed per game and 31st in team sacks.

The Steelers' defensive line was the 13th-ranked unit against the run and recorded 48 sacks, good for sixth-best in the league. The Jets may not have the same personnel that Pittsburgh has, but better coaching should certainly give them a boost.

Don't take my word for it, four-time All-Pro Cameron Heyward pointed to Dunbar's coaching as a reason why the Steelers defense has been so great throughout his tenure.

"When you talk about Karl Dunbar, he’s just an unbelievable teacher. He takes time to really help you study. I can definitely say that he helped me continue to grow in my development as a player and as a person off the field. What we do throughout the week is what you get in the game. It allows to stay consistent because he’s so good."

Cameron Heyward

After a tumultuous few weeks around Glenn's hiring (and firing) process for new assistant coaches, it's promising that he was able to land such a big fish in a cycle that has 10 new head coaches building out their own staffs.

Dunbar's experience with prestigious head coaches stretches further back than just Tomlin. He served as Alabama's defensive line coach under Nick Saban from 2016 to 2017 and got his start in the NFL under Lovie Smith and the Chicago Bears in 2004.

After the Dunbar hiring, the Jets still have plenty of holes to fill on their defensive staff. Glenn and new defensive coordinator Brian Duker still have to find a linebackers coach and a few more assistants who can help Chris Harris in the secondary.

With Glenn finding a way to land Dunbar, it will be interesting to see who else he'll be able to bring in as he works to overhaul a porous Jets defense.