The New York Jets are casting a very wide net as they try to find replacements for both general manager Joe Douglas and head coach Robert Saleh. After interim coach Jeff Ulbrich soiled himself in his audition for the job, the Jets will need to start from scratch in 2025.
The Jets are the only team in the league that has both a head coach and GM vacancy at the same time, giving whoever they hire the chance to put their own unique stamp on the franchise. New York is certainly casting a very wide net as they try to find their next savior.
Just one day after the incredibly cursed 2024 season came to a close, the Jets have already put in interview requests for 13 different coaches. That list is certain to grow in the coming days. The Jets need all the help they can get as they try to turn things around.
New York Jets 2025 Head Coach interview tracker
Candidate | Current Position |
---|---|
Joe Brady | Offensive Coordinator, Buffalo Bills |
Brian Flores | Defensive Coordinator, Minnesota Vikings |
Aaron Glenn | Defensive Coordinator, Detroit Lions |
Brian Griese | Quarterbacks Coach, San Francisco 49ers |
Vance Joseph | Defensive Coordinator, Denver Broncos |
Josh McCown | Quarterbacks Coach, Minnesota Vikings |
Matt Nagy | Offensive Coordinator, Kansas City Chiefs |
Ron Rivera | NFL Analyst/Former Head Coach, Carolina Panthers/Washington Commanders |
Rex Ryan | ESPN Analyst/Former Head Coach, New York Jets/Buffalo Bills |
Bobby Slowik | Offensive Coordinator, Houston Texans |
Arthur Smith | Offensive Coordinator, Pittsburgh Steelers |
Steve Spagnuolo | Defensive Coordinator, Kansas City Chiefs |
Jeff Ulbrich | Interim Head Coach, New York Jets |
Mike Vrabel | Former Head Coach, Tennessee Titans |
Darren Rizzi | Interim Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator, New Orleans Saints |
One name missing from this initial list is Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, widely regarded as the top candidate available. According to SNY's Connor Hughes, Johnson is not interested in the Jets' vacancy, and New York wasn't willing to invest the time into interviewing him after that.
Of the 15 names the Jets have requested interviews with, nine of them have past head coaching experience in the NFL. Only four of them (Vrabel, Nagy, Ryan, Rivera) have won playoff games in the NFL, while three of them (Smith, Joseph, Spagnuolo) haven't made it to the postseason as a head coach.
The Jets are getting a good mix of styles in this initial pool of candidates, as seven of the 13 coaches they have interviewed have defensive backgrounds, while six of them have offensive specialties. Some fans may want to see that offensive number tick up just a bit after years of inconsistency on that end.
Fixing the Jets is not an easy task. The culture is rotten, the roster will lose some big contributors, and the quarterback situation is completely in flux. All fans can do is trust that this time will be different and Johnson will eventually settle on the right leader for this team.