The Jets announced the completion of five virtual interviews for its offensive coordinator opening.
They have talked to Darrell Bevell, Ronald Curry, Frank Reich, Greg Roman and Lunda Wells.
Bevell, 56, spent the past four seasons as the Dolphins’ quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator. He was the Jacksonville Jaguars’ offensive coordinator in 2021 before taking over interim head coach duties for the team’s final four games.
Curry, 46, was the Bills’ quarterbacks coach the past two seasons. He was on the Saints’ staff from 2016-23, handling several roles during his time with Sean Payton. He overlapped with Aaron Glenn in New Orleans from 2016-20.
Reich, 64, is currently a senior adviser at Stanford. He served as the interim head coach for the Cardinal during the 2025 season, leading the team to its most wins since 2020. Reich has over a decade of NFL coaching experience, most recently as the head coach of the Panthers (2023).
Roman, 53, has served as NFL offensive coordinator for 12 of the past 14 seasons, with the Chargers (2024-25), Ravens (2019-22), Bills (2015-16) and San Francisco 49ers (2011-14).
Wells, 42, has spent the past six seasons as the tight ends coach for the Cowboys.
The Jets have found their new defensive coordinator, hiring Brian Duker for the job today.
Duker hadn’t been publicly identified as a candidate for the job until yesterday, when he became the ninth candidate to interview to become the Jets’ defensive coordinator. He must have made a good impression, getting the job quickly in a crowded field of candidates.
Jets head coach Aaron Glenn already knew Duker well, having worked with him in Detroit from 2021 to 2023.
The 36-year-old Duker spent the last two seasons as the Dolphins’ secondary coach/defensive pass game coordinator and was a defensive backs coach, safeties coach, and defensive assistant for the Lions while Glenn was the Lions’ defensive coordinator.
In his first season as a head coach, Glenn went just 3-14 with the Jets last season. Glenn kept his own job, but he has made significant changes up and down his coaching staff. Duker will be among the most important additions in 2026.
Jim Leonhard was already a popular defensive coordinator candidate and now another team would like to speak with him.
Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, the Chargers have put in a request to interview Leonard for their defensive coordinator vacancy.
Lenohard, 43, has been with the Broncos since 2024. He was the club’s defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator in his first year before being promoted to assistant head coach/defensive pass game coordinator for 2025.
The Bills have strong interest in bringing in Leonhard as their defensive coordinator under new head coach Joe Brady. The Jets also have interviewed Leonhard for their vacancy.
The Jets fired offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand on Tuesday and their search for a replacement is moving forward on Wednesday.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Jets will interview Cowboys tight ends coach Lunda Wells for the top offensive job on Aaron Glenn’s staff.
Wells interviewed with the Commanders earlier this month and is on the list of candidates for the Steelers as well. Wells has been on the Cowboys’ coaching staff for the last six years and he coached for the Giants for eight seasons before moving to Dallas.
Prior to parting ways with Engstrand, the Jets were reportedly talking to former Colts and Panthers head coach Frank Reich about joining the staff to call offensive plays. With the coordinator job now open, the Jets will have to go through the standard hiring procedures for that role before selecting Reich or anyone else for the job.
Jon Gruden has gotten no sniffs in the current head-coaching carousel. He has, however, gotten interest about returning to the NFL as an assistant.
Via Zack Rosenblatt of TheAthletic.com, the Jets reached out to Gruden regarding the possibility of joining coach Aaron Glenn’s staff. But Gruden was not interested.
While visiting Lions training camp in July, Gruden made it clear that he wants to coach again.
“Hopefully I’m not done,” Gruden said at the time. “I’m about to make a comeback. I’m working hard to maybe get one more shot.”
Gruden apparently would prefer that shot to be as a head coach. And that’s his prerogative. It could be easier to get another head-coaching job, however, if he returns as an assistant and performs well.
Hovering over the entire situation is the fact that Gruden currently has the NFL on the run in court, with a lawsuit that has managed to withstand the league’s relentless effort to force the case into arbitration. It’s gutsy, to say the least, for the Jets to even make an inquiry to Gruden.
