The New York Jets made the surprise decision to fire head coach Robert Saleh following the team’s Week 5 loss in London. While defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich is the new Jets coach, the start of a coaching search for the offseason is underway.
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It’s now time to evaluate Jets coaching candidates who can take over next season. Before diving into our list, we did rule a few names out. Bill Belichick’s history with the franchise makes his hiring extremely unlikely. As for Ben Johnson, if he turned down the Washington Commanders this year, New York has no shot at him because Johnson will want no part of a 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers.
Jeff Ulbrich, New York Jets defensive coordinator and interim coach
It’s rarely wise for a team to retain its interim coach into the following season, with the success rates extremely low. However, defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich at least needs to be considered for the position. For one thing, he’s been the coordinator for one of the best defenses in the NFL for the last three seasons and he’s received credit for that work long before Saleh’s firing. Ulbrich is also a former player, which resonates with the locker room and he’s already beloved in the locker room. Ulbrich would’ve received head-coaching interviews in 2025 anyway, so he’s one of the viable Jets coaching candidates to replace his predecessor long-term.
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Mike Vrabel, former Tennessee Titans head coach
Moving outside the organization for Jets coaching candidates, Mike Vrabel is a more realistic option than Bill Belichick or Ben Johnson. In six seasons with the Tennessee Titans, Varbel posted four winning records with three playoff appearances including an AFC Championship Game trip. If the Jets don’t retain Ulbrich, it would make even more sense to find a coach who can maintain a top-10 defense. Plus, Vrabel is a well-respected voice in the locker room and he would have the discipline to deal with the New York media. As with all our candidates for New York, Nathaniel Hackett wouldn’t be retained next season.
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Adam Stenavich, Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator
If Aaron Rodgers returns next season as the Jets starting quarterback, which seems less likely by the day, New York will target some candidates with close ties to him. Adam Stenavich only became the Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator in 2022, following Hackett’s departure, but he is renowned for his work with offensive linemen. The Jets would certainly benefit from that, especially 2024 first-round ick Olu Fashanu and the rest of the young linemen. Stenavich has worked in Green Bay since 2019, giving him plenty of experience with Rodgers, which could influence how the two put together the Jets coaching staff in 2025. Such as Rodgers’ personal favorite, QBs coach Tom Clements..
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Bobby Slowik, Houston Texans offensive coordinator
New York realistically can’t get the hottest NFL coaching candidate in 2025, but it can grab another prominent name with fans around the league. Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik did wonders for his stock in 2023, helping C.J. Stroud turn the Houston Texans offense around. Slowik does come from the Shanahan tree, like Saleh, but he would change things up as an offensive-minded head coach. He also makes our list of Jets coaching candidates because of his love for the run game and that could be very beneficial for Breece Hall and Braelon Allen in 2025 and beyond. While there is the unknown of how his offenses look without Stroud, beggars can’t be choosers and Woody Johnson has made the Jets the beggars of the NFL.
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Alex Van Pelt, New England Patriots offensive coordinator
If Aaron Rodgers isn’t back in 2025, then we’d replace Alex Van Pelt with either Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores or Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. For now, we’re keeping Rodgers in mind with this one. With Alex Van Pelt as their play-caller, the New England Patriots have the lowest pre-snap motion rate in the NFL this season. As has been well-documented, Rodgers likes a simplified approach that limits motion. Rodgers is also a huge fan of Van Pelt, stemming from his stint as the Packers’ quarterbacks coach (2014-’17). This wouldn’t be an inspiring hire and would receive rightful criticism, but if Rodgers returns next year and gets input in the search, Van Pelt will be on the radar.