After Robert Saleh firing, 7 candidates to become Jets coach in 2025
Who will be the next coach of the New York Jets?
That’s the big question in the wake of Robert Saleh’s stunning firing Tuesday. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will be the team’s interim coach for 2024, but the franchise is expected to conduct a full coaching search at the end of the season.
Here are seven names to watch for when that time comes:
Jeff Ulbrich
Current role: New York Jets defensive coordinator
Being tabbed as the interim in a season that is still very much alive — the Jets face the Buffalo Bills this week for first place in the AFC East — is indicative of the trust and respect Ulbrich has in the building.
Ulbrich is closely tied to Saleh; he was the defensive coordinator for the entirety of Saleh’s tenure. That could be a turnoff for the Jets. But the rest of the season will essentially be an audition for Ulbrich. If the Jets play closer to their expectations under him, owner Woody Johnson will have to take that into account.
(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Ben Johnson
Current role: Detroit Lions offensive coordinator
The Jets have an underachieving offense, which is the No. 1 thing they must fix. With Nathaniel Hackett calling plays, the Jets offense ranks 25th in points and 27th in yards so far this season. Aaron Rodgers is coming off his first three-interception game since November 2022.
It makes plenty of sense for the Jets’ next coach to be offensive-minded, and there’s arguably no better candidate than Johnson, who led Detroit to the fifth-best scoring offense in 2022 and ‘23. It ranks seventh entering Week 6 this season. Jared Goff has enjoyed a career resurgence under Johnson.
A hot head coaching candidate in recent years, Johnson has elected to stay in Detroit despite heavy interest. The Jets’ gig is the kind of opportunity that could finally get him into the head coach ranks.
(Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)
Bill Belichick
Current role: not coaching
The 72-year-old Belichick burned the Jets at the turn of the century, announcing his resignation one day after being named coach. But this is a new day.
Belichick would be a splashy move considering his résumé as a legendary coach, though he would need to get the offensive staff right. The head coach-general manager delineation must also be clearly defined.
Belichick served as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator of the Jets from 1997-99, finding plenty of success under Bill Parcells. Belichick’s Jets defenses never ranked below ninth in scoring.
(Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Mike Vrabel
Current role: Cleveland Browns coaching consultant
Before the Titans unraveled his last two seasons as coach, Vrabel showed a knack for maximizing even the most injury-battered and talent-deficient of rosters (see 2021, when he led Tennessee to a 12-5 record and the AFC’s No. 1 overall seed despite the team using 91 players, then an NFL-record for a non-strike season). But like Belichick, Vrabel would need to get the offensive staff right. That played into his downfall in Tennessee.
(Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
Brian Flores
Current role: Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator
Flores has been so good as the defensive playcaller in Minnesota that we can’t rule out another head coaching opportunity for him. The Vikings this season rank fourth in points allowed, first in pressures and second in pressure rate.
Flores had a shaky relationship with Tua Tagovailoa in his time as Dolphins coach, which could be a turn off. The head coach-quarterback relationship is critical, and that will be especially important for the Jets, considering that the mercurial Rodgers is their quarterback. But Flores is long enough removed from his time in Miami to where one would think he has learned from the situation.
(Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Joe Brady
Current role: Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator
Many NFL observers thought this would be a rebuilding year for the Bills, who have a subpar cast of receivers around Josh Allen on paper. But Brady has coordinated a Buffalo offense that ranks third in scoring so far this season.
(Photo by Bryan Bennett/Getty Images)
Aaron Glenn
Current role: Detroit Lions defensive coordinator
Glenn was a Pro-Bowl cornerback for the Jets in the late 1990s and served as a personnel scout for the organization from 2012-13 before getting into coaching.
He’s well liked as the DC in Detroit, where his unit has improved each season he’s been there with Dan Campbell (2021-present). The Lions currently rank 10th in points allowed.
(Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
Ben Arthur is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports. He previously worked for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network, where he was the Titans beat writer for a year and a half. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for three seasons (2018-20) prior to moving to Tennessee. You can follow Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.
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