The New York Jets are making a notable shift on the offensive side of the ball, bringing in veteran coach Frank Reich as their new offensive coordinator. The move, confirmed Monday, signals a clear intent by the Jets to stabilize and elevate a unit that’s struggled to find consistency in recent seasons.
Reich, 64, had been a frontrunner for the job for some time and officially interviewed with the team just a day before the deal was finalized. Initially, the Jets explored the idea of hiring him as a senior offensive assistant who would handle play-calling duties. But after parting ways with former offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand, the Jets ultimately handed Reich the full reins of the offense.
For Reich, this marks a return to the NFL sidelines after a brief stint in college football. He spent the 2025 season at Stanford, serving as a senior offensive assistant and eventually taking over as interim head coach. But his roots run deep in the league-both as a player and as a coach.
Drafted in the third round by the Buffalo Bills in 1985, Reich carved out a 14-year playing career as a reliable backup quarterback. He suited up for the Bills, Panthers, Jets, and Lions, and was best known for engineering the largest comeback in NFL playoff history during the 1992 season.
His coaching career began in 2008 with the Indianapolis Colts as an offensive staff assistant. From there, he climbed the ladder-wide receivers coach, quarterbacks coach, and eventually offensive coordinator roles with the Cardinals, Chargers, and Eagles. It was in Philadelphia where Reich truly made his mark, helping guide the Eagles to a Super Bowl title in the 2017 season as Doug Pederson’s offensive coordinator.
That success led to his hiring as the Colts’ head coach in 2018. Over five seasons in Indianapolis, Reich compiled a 40-33-1 record, making two playoff appearances and posting a 1-2 postseason mark. While his tenure was marked by quarterback instability, Reich’s offenses were often efficient and adaptable, even as the personnel changed year to year.
After being let go by the Colts midway through the 2022 season, Reich got another shot in 2023 as the head coach of the Carolina Panthers. But things never quite clicked in Charlotte. Reich lasted just 11 games before being dismissed, finishing with a 1-10 record.
Now, he joins a Jets team that’s searching for answers on offense-and fast. The defense has been championship-caliber, but the offense has lagged behind, plagued by injuries, inconsistent quarterback play, and a lack of rhythm in the play-calling. Reich’s arrival is a clear attempt to change that.
The Jets aren’t just getting a coach with head coaching experience-they’re getting a seasoned offensive mind who’s worked with a wide range of quarterbacks and systems. Reich has shown an ability to tailor his schemes to the strengths of his personnel, and that kind of flexibility could be exactly what New York needs to unlock its offensive potential.
There’s no sugarcoating it: Reich’s last two stops didn’t end the way he-or the teams-had hoped. But in the NFL, opportunity and timing are everything.
With the Jets, Reich has a fresh start and a chance to reshape an offense with talent but little cohesion. If he can bring stability and creativity to the playbook, the Jets might finally have the balance they’ve been chasing.