The New York Jets fired head coach Robert Saleh back in October, so presumably they had a three-month head start on the rest of the teams needing to fill the position. In that time, they’ve uncovered what they can on the hottest commodities of NFL assistant coaches, as well as taken a look back to their more successful past.
On Tuesday, the Jets interviewed Rex Ryan, who was their head coach from 2009 to 2014. He was 4-12 in his last season in New York, which is why he was dismissed. But he did take the team twice to the AFC Championship Game, the last time the franchise was in the playoffs.
Being older and established, and not afraid of controversy, may be exactly what the Jets need. In addressing the Aaron Rodgers tenure in New York, Ryan pulled no punches.
“Clearly, when you have a guy that doesn’t show up for mandatory minicamp – and by the way, he’s your quarterback coming off an injury – I think that’s an absolutely ridiculous message to your team. If [Rodgers] comes back, things would be different. If he’s back, it ain’t gonna be the country club, show up whenever the hell you show up. That ain’t gonna happen.”
Neither Ryan or Rodgers have their jobs yet for 2025. But it sounds like an explosive relationship in the making.
Next Jets Head Coach Odds
Bobby Slowik (+550)
A week ago, Rex Ryan was the favorite to be the next Jets head coach. But there have been reports that the reason Ryan has been interviewed by New York is because he’s also a potential defensive coordinator. If you were to hire a young offensive mind who is a first-time head coach, who better to pair him with than an older and experienced defensive coordinator.
The young offensive coach in this scenario is Bobby Slowik, the offensive coordinator with the Houston Texans. He was a hotter name last season when rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud took the NFL by storm. But with a second straight division title, Slowik is still a coveted asset.
The Jets have made a request to interview Slowik. But at the moment he is busy getting ready for the Wild Card Round.
Aaron Glenn (+550)
If you don’t go with one of the hottest offensive assistant coaches, you go with one of the hottest defensive coordinators. For the Jets, there is no right or wrong way to go. Robert Saleh was a defensive coordinator, and he never had a winning season. Before him, the coach was Adam Gase, a former offensive coordinator. Gase also failed to get above .500.
Aaron Glenn knows a thing or two about winning. As the defensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions, he just completed a 15-win season. He’s also a former Jet, and two of his three Pro Bowl appearances came when he was in New York. He was elected by the fans to the Jets All-Time Four Decade team in 2003, and he would be a popular choice by Jets owner Woody Johnson.
In related Lions assistant coach news, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is not interested in the Jets job.
Matt Nagy (+850)
Matt Nagy is one of the more interesting names in this coaching cycle, and he is being linked to the Jets for a possible second go-round as a head coach. He was the offensive coordinator in Kansas City, then went on to lead the Chicago Bears to the playoffs twice in his four years as their head coach. He was the NFL’s Coach of the Year in 2018, but was out of a job after 2021.
He returned to Kansas City and has twice been the Super Bowl-winning OC in his second round as a Chief. Perhaps he’s due for another crack at being a head coach.
Ron Rivera (+950)
Ron Rivera is another former head coach who has already interviewed with the Jets, and he has an appearance in Super Bowl 50 on his resume. That came during a successful nine-season run with the Carolina Panthers, which included three division championships and four visits to the postseason. He also won a division title in Washington in 2020 before his ultimate firing in 2023 after a 4-13 season.
Rivera was a linebacker for the Bears when they won Super Bowl XX, and as a head coach he has twice won Coach of the Year (2013 and 2015).
With over 25 years of experience as a distinguished sports writer for renowned platforms such as Fox Sports and ESPN, Kyle Garlett is a sports betting specialist who has been at the forefront of documenting the global surge in sports betting and online gaming. Based in Denver, Colorado, Kyle hosts an NFL betting YouTube show and podcast. Kyle also has two sports books published by HarperCollins.
Kyle graduated the Azusa Pacific University in 1996 with a B.A. Degree in Communication and Journalism.
