Mike Tomlin’s name is already floating around the Jets conversation, but New York may be better off letting Aaron Glenn actually coach before it starts shopping for his replacement.
The idea picked up steam after Tomlin said he could be interested in returning to the NFL sometime over the next couple of years. That naturally sent some people wondering whether the Jets might eventually try to bring him in as their next head coach. Still, Glenn is the man in charge right now, and the pressure around him is already intense.
There’s no sugarcoating the stakes. If the Jets stumble out of the gate, Glenn’s margin for error could disappear fast. In fact, the feeling is that if New York doesn’t get a win by Week 4, Glenn could be out of a job.
Even so, that kind of rush to judgment might not be fair. Glenn inherited a team that didn’t have much talent last year, and there was plenty happening behind the scenes as well. Giving the second-year head coach another season is not an unreasonable path.
That’s why the argument for letting this play out makes sense. Glenn should get a real chance to show what he is, one way or the other.
“Glenn deserves to coach the 2026 season as close to distraction-free as possible. The Jets' head coach has done his best to reinvent himself this offseason.
Glenn learned from his debut mistakes, and has surrounded himself with new staffing members. The decision to hire Frank Reich as offensive coordinator has been popular in the locker room.
“Glenn's fate deserves to be judged and decided based on the results of the 2026 campaign. Discussing potential candidates like Tomlin in August is totally baseless and worthless. Give Glenn an opportunity to prove himself,” Justin Melo wrote.
That view has plenty to like, but there’s still a wrinkle. If Glenn isn’t the answer and the Jets decide to move on after year three, and Tomlin has already taken another job this offseason, missing out on him would only make the whole thing look worse.
In the end, that call belongs to Woody Johnson. However this unfolds, it should be interesting to watch.
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