After a rough 2025 season that saw the New York Jets defense take a major step back, head coach Aaron Glenn is wasting no time reshaping his staff. The first major move? Bringing in a familiar face to lead the defense.
Brian Duker, most recently the pass game coordinator for the Miami Dolphins, has been named the Jets’ new defensive coordinator. The hire reunites Duker with Glenn, who coached him during their shared time with the Detroit Lions. It’s a calculated move by Glenn-one that leans on trust, shared philosophy, and a history of collaboration.
Duker’s NFL journey started back in 2015 as an intern with the Cleveland Browns. From there, he steadily climbed the coaching ladder.
By 2021, he was on Glenn’s staff in Detroit as a defensive assistant, eventually earning promotions to safeties coach in 2022 and then defensive backs coach in 2023. Through it all, he worked directly under Glenn, learning the system, the expectations, and the nuances of building a cohesive defensive unit.
That history matters. Glenn knows exactly what he’s getting in Duker-someone who understands his defensive vision and has already proven he can develop talent in the secondary.
But this isn’t just about familiarity. It’s about building something sustainable in New York, and the Jets are betting that Duker’s experience and upside can help turn things around.
That said, this won’t be an easy assignment.
The Jets are coming off a season where their defense ranked 25th in the league, giving up 355.6 yards per game. That’s a steep fall from the identity this franchise has tried to build over the past few years.
And the challenge got even tougher after the team traded away two cornerstone defenders in cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive lineman Quinnen Williams. That’s not just a personnel hit-it’s a leadership void on the field.
For Duker, the task now shifts from coaching up one position group to managing the entire defense. He’ll need to oversee the front seven, coordinate with position coaches, and install a scheme that can mask some of the Jets’ current roster holes while maximizing what talent remains. It’s a big leap, but one Glenn clearly believes Duker is ready for.
There’s no sugarcoating it: this is a rebuild on the defensive side of the ball. But with Glenn and Duker aligned philosophically and strategically, the Jets are at least moving with purpose. They now have a defensive direction-a plan that starts with continuity at the top and aims to reestablish a culture of accountability and toughness.
The road back won’t be quick, and it certainly won’t be easy. But in Duker, the Jets are rolling the dice on a coach who’s paid his dues, earned his stripes, and is now getting his shot to lead an NFL defense. For a franchise in need of answers, this is a step toward clarity.