The New York Jets are making moves on the defensive side of the ball - but the playcalling headset isn’t changing hands just yet.
The team is bringing in Brian Duker as their new defensive coordinator, tapping the former Miami Dolphins assistant to help reshape a defense that struggled mightily in 2025. But while Duker’s title will be DC, it’ll be head coach Aaron Glenn who continues to call the plays on Sundays - at least for now.
Glenn and Duker have history. The two worked together in Detroit from 2021 to 2023, and Glenn clearly sees something in his former colleague.
“During our time in Detroit, Brian consistently demonstrated a high-football acumen and an aggressive approach to defense,” Glenn said in a statement. “I’m confident that his energy and knowledge of the game will help elevate our players and push this team forward.”
That kind of trust matters, especially in a season where the Jets are trying to dig themselves out of one of the roughest years in franchise history.
Let’s not sugarcoat it - 2025 was brutal for the Jets. They finished 3-14, and the numbers tell the story.
The team ranked 29th in points per game and 31st in points allowed. They became the first team in NFL history to go an entire season without recording a single defensive interception and lose five straight games by 23 or more points.
That’s not just a bad stretch - that’s a historically poor performance.
Their three wins came against the Bengals, Browns, and Falcons - and even those felt more like brief pauses in a long, painful season than signs of momentum.
Still, despite the dismal debut, Glenn isn’t going anywhere. The Jets signed him to a five-year deal last offseason, and they’re sticking with him - at least for now. Glenn knows the heat is on, but he’s standing firm.
“I understand what everybody on the outside is saying,” he said. “I’m going to take all those arrows, and that’s OK, because I do know this: It’s going to turn.
And I’m confident in that. … Just trust me.
I know it’s hard to say, but trust me and have faith in what we’re doing.”
That kind of conviction is what you want from a head coach, but words only go so far. The Jets have the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and all signs point to them targeting a quarterback - a clear sign that the front office knows they need a reset under center. But before that happens, they’ll need to hire a new offensive coordinator after parting ways with Tanner Engstrand.
In other words, the Jets are still very much in the middle of a rebuild. The addition of Duker gives Glenn a trusted voice in the defensive room, and while Duker won’t be calling the plays just yet, his presence could help stabilize a unit that desperately needs it.
There’s a long road ahead in New York. But with a high draft pick, a new DC in the building, and a head coach who’s taking the heat head-on, the Jets are at least showing signs that they’re ready to fight their way back.