The New York Jets have officially named Frank Reich their new offensive coordinator, bringing in a veteran voice to help stabilize and hopefully ignite an offense that struggled mightily last season.
Reich, 64, took part in an in-person interview with the Jets on Tuesday - his second meeting with the team after a virtual sit-down the previous week. The move reunites him with head coach Aaron Glenn, his former teammate from the Jets’ 1996 squad, a team remembered for all the wrong reasons after going 1-15.
But that shared history is just the starting point. Glenn spoke highly of Reich’s pedigree, calling him “a rare combination of experience, creativity, and calm under pressure.”
And that’s not just coach-speak. Reich has seen the game from just about every angle - as a longtime NFL quarterback and as a coach who’s led offenses at the highest levels.
His ability to adapt to the modern game and tailor schemes around player strengths is what the Jets are banking on.
And let’s be clear - they need it.
Coming off a 3-14 campaign, New York was near the bottom of just about every offensive category. They finished 29th in scoring (17.6 points per game), 29th in yards per game (263.6), and dead last in passing yards per game (140.3).
It was a rough year under former OC Tanner Engstrand, and the Jets made no secret about their desire to bring in someone with a deeper résumé. Reich fits that mold.
He brings nearly two decades of coaching experience, including a Super Bowl ring from his time as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator in 2017. While Doug Pederson called the plays during that run, Reich played a key role in building the game plans that helped Philly knock off the Patriots in Super Bowl LII.
That success helped him land the head coaching job in Indianapolis, where he posted a 40-33-1 record over five seasons. Reich got the most out of a rotating cast of quarterbacks, including Andrew Luck, Philip Rivers, and Carson Wentz. But things unraveled in 2022 when the Colts stumbled to a 3-5-1 start, leading to Reich’s dismissal midway through the season.
Carolina came calling next, hiring Reich as head coach in 2023. But his tenure with the Panthers was short-lived.
He was let go after an 11-game stretch that saw the team go 1-10 and first-overall pick Bryce Young struggle to find his footing. Reich’s offense never got off the ground, and the lack of development from Young ultimately sealed his fate.
After Carolina, Reich took a detour into the college ranks, serving as the interim head coach at Stanford in 2024. The Cardinal finished 4-8, but did notch wins over Cal in the Big Game and Florida State - a rare bright spot in an otherwise transitional year.
Now, Reich returns to the NFL with a tall task ahead: fix an offense that’s been stuck in neutral and help Glenn turn around a franchise that hasn’t sniffed the playoffs in 15 years.
The quarterback situation remains the biggest question mark. The Jets rolled the dice last offseason by signing Justin Fields to a two-year, $40 million deal, hoping he’d be the long-term answer.
That gamble didn’t pay off. Fields struggled through nine starts before being benched, and the Jets’ passing game never recovered.
Tyrod Taylor and rookie Brady Cook took over, but the results didn’t improve - the team was outscored 188-54 over their final five games, winning just once during that stretch.
With Fields expected to be released before the new league year begins on March 11, Reich will likely be tasked with helping identify the next quarterback. The Jets are expected to add a veteran and also have the draft capital to make a move - they hold four picks in the top 44, including two in the first round and two in the second.
It’s a pivotal offseason, and a pivotal hire for Glenn, who enters his second year as head coach already facing pressure. After finishing 11 games under .500 in Year 1, Glenn knows the margin for error is thin.
He’s already made changes on the defensive side, promoting Brian Duker to defensive coordinator after parting ways with Steve Wilks in December. Glenn will now call defensive plays himself, while Reich takes full control of the offense.
Reich may not have been the hottest name on the market after his brief and bumpy stint in Carolina, but he brings a wealth of experience and a history of guiding productive offenses. During his first four seasons with the Colts, Indy ranked ninth in scoring and 11th in total yards.
In 2018, they were top-five in both categories. That’s the version of Reich the Jets are hoping to get.
If he can bring stability and creativity to a unit that’s lacked both, this could be a turning point for a franchise desperate for one.