NFL insider proposes bold Mike Tomlin scenario for Jets' 2027 plans

For all the calamity the 2025 season brought, things have somehow only gotten worse for the New York Jets since then. Between a delayed coaching purge, multiple rounds of interviews for a defensive coordinator, and the surprise firing of Tanner Engstrand, the team is now staring down the reality of entering September with a largely new coaching staff once again.

With that said, it is fair to assume Aaron Glenn will be under scrutiny heading into 2026, regardless of how depleted the roster looks. The way the season ended, with an embarrassing on-field product that showed little fight, did him no favors.

Even with the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft, the Jets may not be positioned to select their quarterback of the future, unless the Las Vegas Raiders unexpectedly pass on Fernando Mendoza.

It is also a weaker overall class, which likely pushes the Jets’ true long-term quarterback plans to 2027. That is the year that could feature options like Dante Moore, Arch Manning, LaNorris Sellers, and others.

But the bigger question is whether Glenn would even be around by then. Another rough season, paired with the challenge of transitioning alongside yet another reshaped coaching staff, could be enough to end his tenure.

That uncertainty is what led The Athletic columnist Ian O’Connor to float a bold idea: offering Mike Tomlin a massive deal to become the Jets’ total football czar in Florham Park.

The proposal included a seven-year, $210 million contract, citing Bloomberg’s reporting that Woody Johnson is worth roughly $11 billion and has the financial flexibility to make such a move. The pitch would give Tomlin full control as both team president and head coach, theoretically ending the organization’s long-standing dysfunction.

On paper, Tomlin coaching the Jets sounds appealing. The idea of a steady, proven leader walking into chaos has its allure, and the Jets have previously succeeded with big personalities like Bill Parcells and Rex Ryan at the helm.

Jets' 2027 Mike Tomlin dream is probably more fantasy than reality

First, it is unclear whether Tomlin even wants to coach again. His name has not surfaced in connection with any of the current openings, and his only public appearance this offseason was at his daughter’s gymnastics event.

While the 2027 coaching cycle is still a long way off and a sabbatical could change his thinking, it is entirely possible that, like Bill Cowher before him, Tomlin simply never returns to the sideline after a long and successful career.

Yes, money talks. It is possible that a massive offer, combined with total control, could be tempting to take a new team to the promised land. But going from one of the NFL’s most stable organizations in the Pittsburgh Steelers to one of its most dysfunctional would be a startling contrast, regardless of the paycheck.

Especially in a league where multiple head coaching jobs open up every year, Tomlin would almost certainly have better options than the Jets. What if the Minnesota Vikings move on from Kevin O'Connell? How about if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers move on from Todd Bowles? Both organizations have ample more to work with than Gang Green as currently constructed.

And even if he chose not to coach at all, there would be no shortage of opportunities for him as an analyst, without the day-to-day pressure and scrutiny that comes with running a franchise in constant turmoil. So, continue dreaming, Jets fans.