Latest Jets rumors show Steve Wilks should have been fired long before Week 15

NY Jets head coach Aaron Glenn thought that hiring a former NFL head coach with a defensive background in Steve Wilks would give his unit the spark they needed to put a competitive product on the field in 2025, but that hire proved to be such a mess that a coaching change was made before the season even ended.

While Wilks' firing after a 48-20 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars received very few excoriations from this fanbase, the latest reporting that has emerged in the wake of the former Cardinals and Panthers head coach's dismissal makes one wonder why Glenn even let him last until Week 15.

Connor Hughes reported that many Jets players were incredibly frustrated with how rigid the system had become, with Wilks refusing to let players freelance and take some shots in his defense. The common rebuttal of “let the scheme take care of it” from Wilks didn't help him ingratiate himself.

One player reportedly called Wilks out for the flaws in his system, while another was frustrated with being told to "stay in your gap" and the overall limitations on what players can do. With zero interceptions in 15 games and only two teams allowing more points per game, it's hard to argue with the results.

Jets players reportedly were furious with fired DC Steve Wilks for weeks

The only thing the Jets do well is stop the run when the game is in hand, and that might be due to the excellence of Harrison Phillips and Jowon Briggs. Outside of those two, the Jets may have the league's most ineffective defense, even when fully healthy.

The cornerback room is solid when everyone is 100% good to go, but they don't generate turnovers. The linebacker room, once a strength when Quincy Williams and Jamien Sherwood were in Robert Saleh's defense, has regressed to the point where they are one of the worst such starting combos in the NFL.

Ultimately, what brought Wilks' defense down was a lack of pass rush that can create havoc for quarterbacks. When the quarterback remains protected due to Jermaine Johnson's average production and Will McDonald's inconsistency, no secondary is going to consistently hold up.

Wilks' scheme is outdated, as the 2025 Jets have proven. Glenn needs to consider his next coordinator hire very carefully, as missing on yet another defensive mind might be enough to eventually lead to him getting the axe very early into his tenure with the Jets.