Jets have 'mutual interest' with a high-profile DC candidate (REPORT)

The New York Jets already appear to have a name in mind in their search for a new defensive coordinator. During an episode of the Flight Plan podcast on Tuesday, The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt reported that there is “mutual interest” between the Jets and veteran defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.

That's a notable development for a team that is once again looking to reshape its coaching staff after parting ways with Steve Wilks before the end of the season. Now, Aaron Glenn is searching for his replacement.

The Jets are expected to interview a number of candidates as they continue making changes to Glenn’s staff, but Martindale is quickly emerging as a name worth monitoring.

SNY’s Connor Hughes also mentioned Martindale as a name to monitor while discussing potential defensive coordinator candidates for the Jets last week. At this point, there appears to be at least some smoke behind the speculation.

Wink Martindale is emerging as a potential DC option for the Jets

A longtime NFL defensive playcaller, Martindale spent the last two seasons as the defensive coordinator for the Michigan Wolverines and is currently available following the firing of Sherrone Moore last month.

His resume, reputation, and personality make him one of the more polarizing options on the market, and potentially one of the boldest swings the Jets could take. It certainly would be interesting!

From a pure football standpoint, the appeal is obvious. Martindale built a reputation as one of the league’s most aggressive defensive minds during his time in Baltimore, where his units ranked in the top 10 in three of his four seasons as defensive coordinator.

Even with the Giants, he routinely squeezed competitive production out of limited talent, leaning into pressure packages and schematic creativity to keep offenses uncomfortable. He has a reputation for being able to maximize defensive talent.

That's not the only reputation he has, however. Martindale’s last two NFL stints did not end quietly, with reports of tension behind the scenes and an abrasive coaching style that can wear thin over time.

His personality is demanding, confrontational, and unapologetically intense, which are traits that can elevate a locker room in the right environment but quickly become combustible in the wrong one.

That dynamic is partially what makes the potential fit with Aaron Glenn so... fascinating. Glenn has already emphasized accountability, buy-in, and cultural alignment as core pillars of the Jets’ rebuild.

Hiring Martindale would represent a swing-for-the-fences move, one that could inject bite and creativity into the defense, but also one that carries genuine risk if philosophies or personalities clash.

In that sense, this is far from a safe or conventional option. But if the reported mutual interest leads to something more, it would say plenty about how aggressive the Jets plan to be as they reshape their coaching staff.

At the very least, it definitely wouldn't be boring.