of new york jets He made the first shocking move of the 2024 NFL season.
After suffering a disappointing loss, minnesota vikings He led the Jets to 2-3 in a young season in London, and parted ways with head coach Robert Saleh in New York. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich is currently in place on an interim basis, and he will have a chance to come off the interim tag through the remainder of the season, but there will be no shortage of options for the organization going forward.
Here are some of those options. Some people are probably more serious than others.
bill belichick
with bill belichick new england patriots When they parted ways after last season, everyone expected the legendary head coach to return to the sidelines sooner or later. Belichick ultimately didn't get the job and has spent this season working in media relations. In between roles in Underdog Fantasy, manning cast similarly pat mcafee show Belichick has become something of a media star this season.
But coaching is in his blood.
And he has been named the Jets' head coach before.
After all, Belichick has been named the Jets' head coach twice and has never coached a Jets game, so this would be a surprising decision. Back in the 1997 season, Belichick was named interim coach of the Jets, who worked out an agreement with the Patriots to release Bill Parcells from his contract in New England. An agreement was eventually reached, with Parcells becoming head coach and Belichick becoming assistant head coach and defensive coordinator.
And when Parcells resigned in 1999, Belichick's succession plan was in place. But Belichick turned what was supposed to be his inaugural press conference into a surprising resignation announcement, ending his tenure as the Jets' head coach for just one day.
This would be the ultimate “full circle” moment.
Nathaniel Hackett
This will obviously depend on Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers and Nathaniel Hackett's relationship dates back to their time together. green bay packersAnd Rogers is clearly on record about their relationship. When faced with the question of whether Jets fans should trust Hackett's offense this summer, the QB was clear:
“you you should believe me And I trust Nathaniel,” Rodgers said in May. “So, for me, that's the end of the story. There's been a lot of BS said there. There's been a lot of things that he's dealt with over the last few years, and he's handled them very professionally.” I think at the end of the day, I have to trust him and my working relationship and the conversations that we have. I have to trust the staff.”
If the Jets still believe Rodgers is their best option at quarterback at the end of this season, you can expect Hackett to be seriously considered as a head coach going forward.
ben johnson
There is a big hurdle in front of me.
Does Ben Johnson want to be a head coach?
of detroit lions The offensive coordinator has received head coaching interest over the past two recruiting cycles, but at the end of each recruiting cycle, Johnson returned to his role with the Lions. During that time, he built an efficient offense in Detroit and helped Jared Goff become the best version of himself.
This, too, could depend on how the Jets handle the quarterback position, although not as much as a potential Hackett hire. Johnson could certainly help get the best of Rodgers on the field, but he could also help the team develop a new quarterback if the Jets go in a different direction.
Jeff Ulbrich
Over the next few weeks, Jeff Ulbrich will have the opportunity to have his interim tag removed in New York.
This will be Ulbrich's first assignment as a head coach, as he was a former linebacker who was hired as a coach near the end of his NFL career. Ulbrich started as assistant special teams coordinator. seattle seahawks He moved up the ranks for the 2010 season and became the Jets' defensive coordinator in 2021, a position he held until his current promotion.
How the Jets perform over the next few weeks will determine how likely Ulbrich is to earn the job full-time. But what could be working against him is the traditional NFL recruiting cycle, where teams move from defensive-minded coaches to offensive-minded coaches and vice versa. The Jets may be looking for an offensive-minded coach in their next hire, especially if they move on from Rodgers.
mike vrabel
There are a lot of “what ifs” regarding the 2025 Jets, but if Aaron Rodgers continues to play and a team trying to get this back wouldn't be very appealing to a first-time head coach looking to make his mark on the organization.
Introducing Mike Vrabel. He has an established resume and is currently looking for opportunities. In any case, his coaching sensibilities are defensive, so having him build a team solely for the offensive side wouldn't be all that valuable. This means there is a clear path to hope for immediate success with Rodgers and then pivot to a new QB without the inherent risk of becoming a scapegoat for the previous administration's decisions. Everyone probably understands Vrabel's role as an upside bridge coach more than anything else.
Honestly, this is one of the best realistic outcomes the Jets could hope for.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Before Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ended his campaign this spring, there were rumors in political circles that he was considering Aaron Rodgers as his running mate.
So… yes, we're just dumping it here.
Aaron Glenn
You're going to hear Aaron Glenn's name come up. a lot In a new coaching cycle. The Lions' defensive coordinator may not be getting as much attention as Ben Johnson, but don't get me wrong, Glenn is doing a phenomenal job in Detroit.
The Lions currently rank 10th in the NFL in points against, with Aidan Hutchinson contributing 6.5 sacks this season. Not only does Glenn get the best out of his players, but as we saw in behind-the-scenes footage from the NFL Draft, Glenn is overjoyed that his team might be able to take one of them. He has a unique eye for discerning talent. His favorite player was Brian Branch, who later became a star.
Add in the feel-good factor of coaching the team that drafted him in 1994, and you have a pretty attractive package. It's also worth noting that Glenn served as a personnel scout for the Jets from 2012 to 2013, so even though much of the roster has changed, he has some familiarity with the Jets' organization.
bobby slowik
One of the names that drew the most attention during the last recruiting cycle was houston texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik; CJ Stroud's incredible rookie season and the Texans' shocking district title win prompted Slowik to participate in the interview process last year.
The Texans just broke out of first place and are off to another strong start. buffalo bills This year's record improved to 4 wins and 1 loss. This puts Houston back in first place in the AFC South standings, just one game behind. kansas city chiefs At a conference.
Slowik interviewed both men. tennessee titans and atlanta falcons before finally returning to Houston last winter. But if the team reconvenes, that might be the perfect time for Slowik to try for a head coaching job. Again, a lot of this may depend on what the organization does with Rodgers, but if the Jets go down the rookie quarterback path next spring, Slowik's presence makes a lot of sense. Masu.
kliff kingsbury
Jaden Daniels is making Kliff Kingsbury play like an Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate.
He also has head coaching experience, with stops at Texas Tech and Arizona with the Cardinals.
The idea of Kingsbury and Rodgers pairing up sounds more like a script for a reboot of an old HBO movie. first and ten Series — look it up — but if the organization plans to move on from Rodgers or the quarterback himself steps down, Kingsbury could be a candidate. Given his offense-oriented approach and what he's shown with Daniels this season, he might be the ideal person to guide the new quarterback's transition to the NFL.
