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With Robert Saleh out in New York, who should be the next head coach of the Jets?
The New York Jets have made the first shocking move of the 2024 NFL season.
After a disappointing loss to the Minnesota Vikings in London dropped the Jets to 2-3 on the young season, New York parted ways with head coach Robert Saleh. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich now takes over on an interim basis, and while he will have a shot over the rest of the season to have that interim tag dropped, there is no shortage of options for the organization going forward.
Here are some of those options. Some perhaps more serious than others.
Bill Belichick
When Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots parted ways after last season, there was every expectation that the legendary head coach would be back on the sidelines sooner rather than later. Belichick ultimately did not get that job, and is spending this season working the media circuit. Between roles with Underdog Fantasy, on the ManningCast as well as The Pat McAfee Show and even a turn with Door Dash, Belichick has become something of a media star this season.
But coaching is in his blood.
And he has been named the head coach of the Jets before.
After all, Belichick was twice named as the head coach of the Jets, and while he never coached a game for them, this would be a stunning move. Back in the 1997 season Belichick was named the interim coach of the Jets while the organization hammered out an agreement with the Patriots to release Bill Parcells from his contract in New England. Ultimately, that agreement was reached and Parcells took over as the head coach, and Belichick became an assistant head coach and defensive coordinator.
Then in 1999 when Parcells stepped down, the Belichick succession plan was in place. However, Belichick turned what was to be his introductory press conference into a stunning resignation announcement, his tenure as the Jets head coach lasting one day.
This would be the ultimate “full circle” moment.
Nathaniel Hackett
This would, obviously, hinge on Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers and Nathaniel Hackett have a relationship that dates back to their days together with the Green Bay Packers, and Rodgers has been clear on the record regarding their relationship. Facing questions this summer about whether Jets fans should trust the offense in Hackett’s hands, the QB was clear:
“You should trust me and I trust Nathaniel,” Rodgers said back in May. “So, to me, that’s end of story. There’s been a lot of BS that’s been said out there. There’s a lot of things that have gone on the last couple years that he’s dealt with that I think he’s handled very professionally. And at the end of the day, I think you gotta trust his and my working relationship and the conversations that we have. You gotta trust the staff.”
If the Jets still believe, at the end of this season, that Rodgers is their best option at quarterback, then you could expect that Hackett will get serious consideration to be their head coach going forward.
Ben Johnson
There is a big hurdle up front.
Does Ben Johnson want to be a head coach?
The Detroit Lions offensive coordinator has entertained head coaching interest the past two hiring cycles, but at the end of each Johnson has returned to his role with the Lions. In the interim he has built an efficient offense in Detroit, and helped Jared Goff become the best version of himself.
This too might depend on how the Jets decide to handle the quarterback position, albeit not to the extent that a potential Hackett hire does. Johnson could certainly help get the best version of Rodgers onto the field, but he could also help the team develop a new quarterback should the Jets move in another direction.
Jeff Ulbrich
Over the next few weeks, Jeff Ulbrich has an opportunity to shed the interim tag in New York.
This is Ulbrich’s first stint as a head coach, as the former linebacker moved straight into the coaching ranks as his NFL playing days came to a close. Ulbrich started out as an assistant special teams coordinator with the Seattle Seahawks for the 2010 season, working his way up through the ranks to become the defensive coordinator in 2021 with the Jets, a role he has held until his current promotion.
How the Jets perform over the next few weeks will determine just how much of a chance Ulbrich has at earning this job full-time. However, what might be working against him is the traditional NFL hiring cycle, which sees teams move from defensive-minded coaches to offensive-minded coaches, and vice versa. The Jets might be looking towards an offensive-minded coach with their next hire, especially if they are moving on from Rodgers.
Mike Vrabel
There are a lot of “ifs” when it comes to the Jets in 2025, but if Aaron Rodgers keeps playing and tries to run this back the team won’t be very attractive to a first-time head coach trying to put their mark on an organization.
Enter Mike Vrabel, who has an established resume and at this point is just looking for an opportunity. He wouldn’t be too precious about having a team built exclusively for him on offense, with his coaching sensibilities being defensive anyway. That means there’s a clear path to hope for immediate success with Rodgers, and then pivot to a new QB — without the inherent risk of being a scapegoat for the previous regime’s decisions. Everyone would understand 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.
There was a brief rumor in the political world this past spring that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was considering Aaron Rodgers to be his vice presidential running mate, before shuttering his campaign.
So .. yeah we’re just throwing that out here.
Aaron Glenn
You’re going to hear Aaron Glenn’s name come up a lot in the new coaching cycle. While the Lions’ defensive coordinator might not have the same amount of covetous attention as Ben Johnson, make no mistake: Glenn is doing a phenomenal job in Detroit.
The Lions are currently 10th in the NFL in points scored against, while Aidan Hutchinson is flourishing with 6.5 sacks this season. Not only does Glenn maximize the talent he’s able to get out of his players, but he has a distinct eye for talent as we saw in behind-the-scenes footage from the NFL Draft of Glenn being over the moon the team could land one of his favorite players in Brian Branch, who has gone on to become a star.
Add in the feel-good factor of coaching the team who drafted him in 1994 and it makes for a pretty compelling package. Also of note: Glenn was a personnel scout for the Jets in 2012-13, meaning he has some familiarity with their organizational operations, even if many of the faces have changed.
Bobby Slowik
During the last hiring cycle one of the hottest names was that of Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik. C.J. Stroud’s incredible rookie season, and the Texans’ shocking division title, propelled Slowik into the interview process last year.
The Texans are off to another strong start, having just knocked off the Buffalo Bills to improve to 4-1 on the year. That has Houston atop the AFC South standings again, and just a game behind the Kansas City Chiefs in the conference.
Slowik interviewed with both the Tennessee Titans and the Atlanta Falcons last winter before ultimately returning to Houston. But if teams come calling again, it might be the right moment for Slowik to take his shot at a head coaching gig. Again, much of this might depend on what the organization does regarding Rodgers, but if the Jets are going down the rookie quarterback path next spring, Slowik makes a great deal of sense.
Kliff Kingsbury
Kliff Kingsbury has Jayden Daniels playing 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 thought of a Kingsbury-Rodgers pairing sounds more like a script for an HBO reboot of the old First and Ten series — look it up kids — but should the organization design to move on from Rodgers, or the quarterback himself steps away, Kingsbury might be a candidate. Given his offensive-minded approach, and what he is showing this season for Daniels, he might be the ideal hire to guide a new quarterback’s transition to the NFL.
